1. The Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC)
Ballast water management is defined as the “mechanical, physical, chemical, and biological processes, either singularly or in combination, to remove, render harmless, or avoid the uptake or discharge of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens (HAOP) within Ballast Water and Sediments. (IMO, 2004)
In February 2004, the IMO adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (the Ballast Water Management or BWM Convention) to regulate discharges of ballast water and reduce the risk of introducing non-native species transferred through ships’ ballast water.The Convention will enter into force 12 months after ratification by at least 30 States, …show more content…
Generally, ballast water treatment processes are divided into two methods: separation or disinfection. By using the separation method, organisms from ballast water are removed upon intake or prior to discharge. As for disinfection, it kills or renders organisms unable to reproduce. Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) have been developed using various combinations of methods. (ABS, 2014)
5.1. Separation
Put simply, solid-liquid separation is the separation of suspended solid material, including the larger suspended microorganisms,from the ballast water, either by sedimentation (allowing the solids to gradually sink by virtue of their own weight)or by surface filtration. Filtration is the passage of a fluid through a porous medium, with a filtering material smaller in size than that of the particle or organism, to remove suspended matter, such as sediment, organisms, and silt.(Lloyd’s Register, 2015)
5.2. …show more content…
In electrolytic chlorination (i.e., electrolysis), an electrical current is directly applied to seawater generating free chlorine, sodium hypochlorite and hydroxyl radicals. During the electrolytic chlorination process, a certain salinity level in ballast water is required or additional salt will need to be added. The hydroxyl radicals generated in seawater quickly form disinfection byproducts – like hypobromous acid, a highly effective biocide or germicide. (ABS, 2014)
Disinfection removes or inactivates micro-organisms using one or more of the following methods:
• Chemical inactivation of the micro-organisms through either:
Oxidizing biocides – general disinfectants which destroy organic structures, such as cell membranesor nucleic acids; or non-oxidizing biocides – these disrupt reproductive, neural, or metabolic functions of the organisms.
• Physicochemical inactivation of the micro-organisms through processes such as UV light, heat or
Ballast water management is defined as the “mechanical, physical, chemical, and biological processes, either singularly or in combination, to remove, render harmless, or avoid the uptake or discharge of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens (HAOP) within Ballast Water and Sediments. (IMO, 2004)
In February 2004, the IMO adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (the Ballast Water Management or BWM Convention) to regulate discharges of ballast water and reduce the risk of introducing non-native species transferred through ships’ ballast water.The Convention will enter into force 12 months after ratification by at least 30 States, …show more content…
Generally, ballast water treatment processes are divided into two methods: separation or disinfection. By using the separation method, organisms from ballast water are removed upon intake or prior to discharge. As for disinfection, it kills or renders organisms unable to reproduce. Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) have been developed using various combinations of methods. (ABS, 2014)
5.1. Separation
Put simply, solid-liquid separation is the separation of suspended solid material, including the larger suspended microorganisms,from the ballast water, either by sedimentation (allowing the solids to gradually sink by virtue of their own weight)or by surface filtration. Filtration is the passage of a fluid through a porous medium, with a filtering material smaller in size than that of the particle or organism, to remove suspended matter, such as sediment, organisms, and silt.(Lloyd’s Register, 2015)
5.2. …show more content…
In electrolytic chlorination (i.e., electrolysis), an electrical current is directly applied to seawater generating free chlorine, sodium hypochlorite and hydroxyl radicals. During the electrolytic chlorination process, a certain salinity level in ballast water is required or additional salt will need to be added. The hydroxyl radicals generated in seawater quickly form disinfection byproducts – like hypobromous acid, a highly effective biocide or germicide. (ABS, 2014)
Disinfection removes or inactivates micro-organisms using one or more of the following methods:
• Chemical inactivation of the micro-organisms through either:
Oxidizing biocides – general disinfectants which destroy organic structures, such as cell membranesor nucleic acids; or non-oxidizing biocides – these disrupt reproductive, neural, or metabolic functions of the organisms.
• Physicochemical inactivation of the micro-organisms through processes such as UV light, heat or