CHARACTERIZATION OF BALLAST WATER

This report summarizes ballast characterization studies to define the concentration levels of the following contaminants: oil, suspended solids, BOD sub 5, COD, pH, ammonia, phenols and sulfides. Ballast water samples from nine tankers were taken and analyzed. The study included ballast following two crude oils and ten of the clean oil products carried in largest volume by tankers. Oil contents found in dirty ballast on clean oil product tankers were in the same range, but with a slightly higher median value, as those found on crude oil carriers. BOD, COD and suspended solids levels in dirty ballast were often comparable to, but were sometimes measurably greater than, those in the sea water taken on as ballast. The levels of phenol, sulfides, and ammonia found in dirty ballast were usually very low and near the minimum, concentrations which could be detected by the anlaytical methods employed in the program.

• Corporate Authors:

  Exxon Research and Manufacturing Company

  P.O. Box 101
  Florham Park, NJ  United States  07932
• Authors:
  • Shewmaker, J E
  • Goodrich Jr, R R
  • Skocypec, R J
• Publication Date: 1974-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 83 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ballast (Ships); Ballast tanks; Oil spills; Oil tankers; Pollution control; Tankers
• Old TRIS Terms: Tanker pollution prevention
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00095137
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: C-1-35049
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 29 1975 12:00AM