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New 60 minute faecal coliform test
Volume 24,'Number 8 August 1992
one or more major oil spills (over 1,370 tonnes) in Australian waters from tankers could be as high as 48% in the next five years and 93% in the next 20 years The stud,,' also found some evidence that the use of pilots in high risk waters, such as the inner passage of the Great B a m e r Reef, may prevent groundings. The G B R M P Act (1975) was amended in 1991 to reqmre compulsory pilotage In high risk areas (see Mar. Pollut. Bull. 22, 577). The first mariner to be arrested under this amendment ~as Ho Jun Jeon, master of the Panamaman- registered Kelfu. He was recently found guilty of fmhng to have a pilot on board the ship during her passage through a regulated area and fined AusS 1,500. In addition, a draft plan for the long term protection of the G B R M P was released for public consultation in May 1992. The proposed plan is unique in that it applies to all aspects of marine environmental protection and will replace much ot the present piecemeal legislation. P E T E R JONES
New Regulations of US Vessel Traffic Services The repercussions of the Exxon Valdez oil spill continued with the announcement that the US Coast Guard will rewrite its Vessel Traffic Services VTS) regulations. According to Mr. Sollosl, head of the VTS programme and policy branch, speaking at the US VTS S) mposlum in Vancouver In June, the US VTS will be made mandatory for shipping. Further legislation is also being considered by the US concerning tanker exclusion zones and escort and watch keeping requirements. Although not part of the actual VTS regulations they will also be enforced through the VTS. Mr. Sollosl accepted that at the time of the Exxon Valdez grounding the VTS m Prince William Sound had not been adequate This had led to the rewriting of the regulations and a cost benefit exercise of VTS in 23 coastal ports and waterways. This exercise proposed possible savings of S 1 6bn over 15 years
New 60 Minute Faecal Coliform Test Two scientists of the CSIRO Centre for Advanced Analytical Chemistry, Lucas Heights, Australia, Drs Simon Apte and Graeme Batley, have recently developed a simple assay which allows the rapid detection of faecal cohform bacteria in seawater. The method detects b-D-galactosldase, an enzyme found in
coliform bacteria which is not normally present in marine bacteria. Seawater samples are incubated with methylumbelliferone-b-D-galactoside at 44.5°C for 60 minutes. Bacterial action breaks down the substrate into a sugar and methylumbelliferone (a highly fluorescent compound) which is subsequently detected using instrumental fluorescence spectroscopy. The amount of methylumbelliferone in the water is directly proportional to the number of faecal coliforms. Presently, the detection limit of this test is around 20 faecal coliforms/ 1(10 ml which is well below the water quality guideline concentrations applicable in most countries. The method is intended to provide an 'early warning' of sewage contamination at bathing beaches where currently, there ~s a delay of at least 24 hours between sample collection and bacterial data being available Initial field trials have been very promising and now more detailed validation studies are being carried out In the Sydney area The researchers are presently developing a 'back of the car" version of the test This method is potentially a breakthrough in water pollution momtorlng. R.S.S H/U
Round-the-World News Nigeria Minor pollution occurred off the coast of Nigeria when an anchor handling barge hooked onto two crude oil pipes and a condensate pipe. The incident took place at the Chevron Terminal, Escrovros, causing it to shut down and evacuate crude from the lines. Lloyd's Ltst.
Norway The Norwegian Maritime Directorate (NMD) has instituted an inspection programme in an effort to improve vessel safety and pollution along its coastline. The programme was aimed primarily at eradicating substandard Panamanian and Maltese registered shipping from the port of Narvlk. The inspection programme was started at the beginning of 1992 with the cooperation of Panama and appears to have been a complete success
Singapore Three new pollution control utlhty vessels have just been launched for the Indonesian-owned company United Richfield Marine Pte Ltd. The vessels are needed because of the increased exploration and drilling activities in south east Asia, Vietnam and Cambodia and cost $2.9
383
one or more major oil spills (over 1,370 tonnes) in Australian waters from tankers could be as high as 48% in the next five years and 93% in the next 20 years The stud,,' also found some evidence that the use of pilots in high risk waters, such as the inner passage of the Great B a m e r Reef, may prevent groundings. The G B R M P Act (1975) was amended in 1991 to reqmre compulsory pilotage In high risk areas (see Mar. Pollut. Bull. 22, 577). The first mariner to be arrested under this amendment ~as Ho Jun Jeon, master of the Panamaman- registered Kelfu. He was recently found guilty of fmhng to have a pilot on board the ship during her passage through a regulated area and fined AusS 1,500. In addition, a draft plan for the long term protection of the G B R M P was released for public consultation in May 1992. The proposed plan is unique in that it applies to all aspects of marine environmental protection and will replace much ot the present piecemeal legislation. P E T E R JONES
New Regulations of US Vessel Traffic Services The repercussions of the Exxon Valdez oil spill continued with the announcement that the US Coast Guard will rewrite its Vessel Traffic Services VTS) regulations. According to Mr. Sollosl, head of the VTS programme and policy branch, speaking at the US VTS S) mposlum in Vancouver In June, the US VTS will be made mandatory for shipping. Further legislation is also being considered by the US concerning tanker exclusion zones and escort and watch keeping requirements. Although not part of the actual VTS regulations they will also be enforced through the VTS. Mr. Sollosl accepted that at the time of the Exxon Valdez grounding the VTS m Prince William Sound had not been adequate This had led to the rewriting of the regulations and a cost benefit exercise of VTS in 23 coastal ports and waterways. This exercise proposed possible savings of S 1 6bn over 15 years
New 60 Minute Faecal Coliform Test Two scientists of the CSIRO Centre for Advanced Analytical Chemistry, Lucas Heights, Australia, Drs Simon Apte and Graeme Batley, have recently developed a simple assay which allows the rapid detection of faecal cohform bacteria in seawater. The method detects b-D-galactosldase, an enzyme found in
coliform bacteria which is not normally present in marine bacteria. Seawater samples are incubated with methylumbelliferone-b-D-galactoside at 44.5°C for 60 minutes. Bacterial action breaks down the substrate into a sugar and methylumbelliferone (a highly fluorescent compound) which is subsequently detected using instrumental fluorescence spectroscopy. The amount of methylumbelliferone in the water is directly proportional to the number of faecal coliforms. Presently, the detection limit of this test is around 20 faecal coliforms/ 1(10 ml which is well below the water quality guideline concentrations applicable in most countries. The method is intended to provide an 'early warning' of sewage contamination at bathing beaches where currently, there ~s a delay of at least 24 hours between sample collection and bacterial data being available Initial field trials have been very promising and now more detailed validation studies are being carried out In the Sydney area The researchers are presently developing a 'back of the car" version of the test This method is potentially a breakthrough in water pollution momtorlng. R.S.S H/U
Round-the-World News Nigeria Minor pollution occurred off the coast of Nigeria when an anchor handling barge hooked onto two crude oil pipes and a condensate pipe. The incident took place at the Chevron Terminal, Escrovros, causing it to shut down and evacuate crude from the lines. Lloyd's Ltst.
Norway The Norwegian Maritime Directorate (NMD) has instituted an inspection programme in an effort to improve vessel safety and pollution along its coastline. The programme was aimed primarily at eradicating substandard Panamanian and Maltese registered shipping from the port of Narvlk. The inspection programme was started at the beginning of 1992 with the cooperation of Panama and appears to have been a complete success
Singapore Three new pollution control utlhty vessels have just been launched for the Indonesian-owned company United Richfield Marine Pte Ltd. The vessels are needed because of the increased exploration and drilling activities in south east Asia, Vietnam and Cambodia and cost $2.9
383