Investigation of Ships loaded with Chemical ammunition scuttled in Skagerrak

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Investigation of Ships loaded with Chemical ammunition scuttled in Skagerrak"

Francine Fleming
10 years ago
Views:

1 Investigation of Ships loaded with Chemical ammunition scuttled in Skagerrak First International Conference Chemical & Conventional Munitions Dumped at Sea Halifax 9-11th Oct 2007 Aase Mari Opstad, John Aa, Tørnes, Leif Haldor Bjerkeseth, Marita Ljønes, Øyvind A Voie, Fatima Hussain Norwegian Defence Research Establishment

Halifax 9-11th Oct 2007 Aase Mari Opstad, John Aa, Tørnes, Leif Haldor

2 CW agents produced and accumulated during WW II Chloroacetophenone (CN) tonnes Diphenylchloroarsine (clark I) tonnes Diphenylcyanoarsine (clark II) 100 tonnes Adamsite tonnes Arsine oil[1] tonnes Phosgene tonnes Sulphur-Mustard tonnes Nitrogen-Mustard tonnes Tabun tonnes Total (net weight) tonnes [1] Arsine oil: 50 % phenyldichloroasine, 35 % diphenylchloroarsine, 5 % triphenylarsine and 5 % trichloroarsine

900 tonnes Sulphur-Mustard 25 000 tonnes Nitrogen-Mustard 2 000 tonnes Tabun 12 000 tonnes Total (net weight) 65 000

3 Dumping in Norwegian waters The Norwegian authorities gave in 1945 permission to scuttle captured ships loaded with chemical ammunition on board in an area approximately 14 km X 4 km in size, 25 nautical miles south-east of Arendal The most likely number of ships sunk in the Norwegian part of Skagerrak is 36 The sea depth in this area is metres

4 km in size, 25 nautical miles south-east of Arendal The most likely number of ships

4 Investigation by a ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) 5 wrecks were inspected in wrecks (of the previous 5) were inspected in 2002

5 Water samples Nansen water-sampler 2 water samples per wreck The samples were cooled No chemical warfare agents or related compounds were identified Total arsenic was below the limit of quantification (20µg/l)

warfare agents or related compounds were identified

6 Sediment samples Multicorer 33 different locations (+ control) 4 close (10-15 m) to each wreck 4 more distant (20-28 m) from each wreck 1 additional location close to one part, 50 m away from one wreck Two cores from each location, one sliced on board and the other un-sliced The samples were immediately frozen before the transport

to one part, 50 m away from one wreck Two cores from each location, one sliced on

7 Summary of observations One wreck was in several parts, the others were intact Aerial bombs ( Kg) were observed in the holds and on the decks of the intact wrecks Aerial bombs were observed outside the damaged wreck Artillery shells were observed outside the wrecks Abundant sea-life was observed Fishing equipment was observed hung up on the wrecks

Aerial bombs were observed outside the damaged wreck Artillery shells were observed

8 Wreck no 5

9 Wreck no 6

10 Wreck no 13

11 Wreck no 14 SESOSTRIS

12 Findings from the sediment samples close to an aerial bomb Sulphur mustard (H) Sulphur mustard degradation products Arsenic containing compounds Riot control agent (CN)

13 Results from the sediment samples Wreck no 5 Sulphur mustard degradation products in 2 samples Arsenic containing compounds in all samples Wreck no 6 Sulphur mustard in 1 sample Sulphur mustard degradation products in 4 samples Arsenic containing compounds in all samples Riot control agent (CN) in one sample Wreck no 13 Sulphur mustard degradation products in 2 samples Arsenic containing compounds in all samples Wreck no 14 No CW agents or related compounds

Arsenic containing compounds in all samples Riot control agent (CN) in one sample Wreck no 13 Sulphur mustard

14 Summary Four shipwrecks (of possible 36) were investigated during the expedition in Skagerrak in 2002 little sign of corrosion Some ammunition was corroded and the content lost The wrecks had caught fishing nets Sulphur mustard was identified in one sample Decomposition products from sulphur mustard were identified in four additional locations Sulphur mustard is degradable in sea water Arsenic containing compounds in many samples Arsenic is not degradable and could bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms, but the health risk associated with the current concentrations is low Reaction products between sulphur mustard decomposition products and organoarsenic compounds were identified The nerve agent Tabun was not found in the samples

degradable in sea water Arsenic containing compounds in many samples Arsenic is not degradable and could bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms, but the health risk associated with the

15 References John Aasulf Tørnes et al. Investigation and risk assessment of ships loaded with chemical ammunition scuttled in Skagerrak. FFI/Rapport-2002/ John Aasulf Tørnes, Aase Mari Opstad, Bjørn Arne Johnsen. Determination of Organoarsenic warfare agents in sediment samples from Skagerrak by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Science of the Total Environment 356 (2006) Acknowledgements: The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) The Norwegian Costal Administration (Kystverket)

John Aasulf Tørnes, Aase Mari Opstad, Bjørn Arne Johnsen.

Investigation and risk assessment of ships loaded with chemical ammunition scuttled in Skagerrak

Investigation and risk assessment of ships loaded with chemical ammunition scuttled in Skagerrak TA-1907/2002 Tørnes John Aa, Voie Øyvind A, Ljønes Marita, Opstad Aase M, Bjerkeseth Leif Haldor, Hussain