Dr. Karoline Hammer

It is known that a large proportion of ship-based particle emissions enter the atmospheric and maritime environment unhindered. Within the joint project SAARUS joint, the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research is pursuing the investigation of these particles for organic pollutants (e.g. PAHs), metal residues, elemental composition and ecotoxicological hazard potential. Using highly sensitive measuring instruments, an evaluation of the effects of the use of scrubbers as a result of the IMO regulations on the reduction of SOx emissions coming into force will provide information on their environmentally relevant consequences. In cooperation with a wash water treatment company, the extent to which the scrubber wash water is polluted with pollutants and an optimization of the wash water treatment is feasible will be examined. The aim is to use the open-loop mode in compliance with the EU directives with the specified limit values for priority substances in surface waters (2008/105/EC, Dec. 2008).