TIP 14 — SAMPLING AND MONITORING OF MARINE OIL SPILLS

The technical information paper number fourteen is devoted to sampling and monitoring of the marine oil spills. When the oil spill occurs, the governments and other organizations usually want to know the extent to which the key resources have been impacted. Subject information is very important for determining whether the prompt action is required in order to protect human health as well as sensitive resources.

The decision making may be facilitated by undertaking relevant monitoring programs and such programs normally involve surveys plus collecting oil samples, water and other samples for chemical analysis. The present document is released to provide some general overview of the sampling and monitoring procedures to be followed when performing both quantitative and qualitative monitoring of contamination.

The qualitative analysis of contamination will confirm its source while the monitoring programs are mainly concerned with the changes occurring in the level of hydrocarbons with the course of time. This paper explains the common terminology involved and provides general guidance on the analytical practice. The content of the technical info paper will be of practical interest for the persons engaged in the analysis of the consequences of the marine oil spills.