Sustainable Marine Structures

Nanoparticle-Mediated Transport of Energy-Related Pollutants in Marine Sediments: Implications for Offshore Infrastructure Durability and Environmental Risks

Yu Xie

Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist Unlversity

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/sms.v7i2.1845

Received: 11 March 2025; Published: 28 May 2025

Abstract

This research conducted a systematic study on the processes of migration of energy-related pollutants caused by nanoparticles in marine sediments, as well as their impacts on the durability of offshore infrastructure. While focused on representative nanoparticles (nano-TiO₂, nano-Fe₃O₄, and carbon nanotubes) and select energy pollutants, experimental data showed these materials greatly enhanced the movement of pollutants, increasing migration distances from 1.6 to 2.9 times. The carbon nanotubes possessed the greatest carrying effect, increasing the phenanthrene migration distance by 286 percent. The study determined surface properties of nanoparticles, pH of the liquid environment, ionic concentration, and organic matter level as major elements impacting pollutant mobility. Laboratory simulations, while controlled and reproducible, necessarily simplified the complex dynamics of real marine environments. Nanoparticle-sorbate systems were found to be effective in enhancing the deterioration rate of materials used in offshore constructions, with CNT-PAHs composites causing carbon steel to corrode by 183% more than if PAHs were used without the composites. This change in corrosion behaviour was shown in other tests to be caused by a change in dynamics of the corrosion products' structural constituents and the various electrochemical properties present on the surface of the material. Samples of concrete showed a spend of 90 days in the composite system resulted in a 26.8% decrease in compressive strength compared to control conditions which had only a 15.3%. Therefore, taking into account the results, strategies were formulated to ensure durability for offshore infrastructure including surface modified anticorrosion coatings, surveillance and alert systems, and integrated protective systems. Future field validation studies are needed to verify these laboratory findings under actual marine conditions. This study helps to comprehend the behaviour of nanoparticles in intricate marine ecosystems, providing support for the sustainable advancement of offshore infrastructure and the protection of the marine environment.  

Keywords: Nanoparticles; Energy Pollutants; Marine Sediments; Pollutant Migration; Corrosion Mechanism; Offshore Infrastructure; Environmental Risk

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