The research

Some Italian researchers, belonging to the Central Institute for Marine Research (ICRAM) , investigated subsequently the marine area by French bathyscaph “Cyana”, belonging to IFREMER. They filmed and gathered information about the condition of wrecks and the surrounding areas observing a significant distribution of tar aggregates. It was also observed the colonization of a lot of these aggregates by the filtering organisms and fishes.
In consideration of muddy texture of sediments, it was observed as the deposition of consolidated tar has modified the characteristic of sea bottom building up hard substrates on which the marine organisms could install them.
Besides, the existing close connections between tar deposition and the marine organisms, promoted the contamination of the latter thanks to marine faunal capacity to bioaccumulate the persistent pollutant. In this area it assumes a remarkable importance because there are a lot of “commercial species” and their capacity to move make them potential contaminators for others areas and sea communities.
Other environmental studies were carried out on the surrounding marine area to evaluate the chemical-physical quality of marine sediments and the pollution of marine organisms. The results showed in almost all analyzed samples an high concentration of PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) which generally are considered the main responsibles in the production of carcinogenic molecules.
ICRAM, actually, is monitoring the main stamp to observe how benthic organisms develop during the time. To obtain it, several frames were applied on different points of the wreck which are periodically photographed to identify the different benthic species which colonize the substrate.
It’s unnecessary to emphasize how much these disasters have to be avoided, especially because the marine environment can not support these impacts. In all the world is necessary to ralize important legislative measures to prevent these problems. In Italy, the Ministry of Environment, announced some measures such as the prohibition of passage for tankers between Sardinia and Corsica through the Bocche di Bonifacio. In this passage, every year, pass 5.000 tankers and the risk of accidents is very high for the strong winds and the shortage of that sound.
Several states are doing the same, trying to impose a definition of standard protocols to protect the sea and increase the security of tankers, in order to decrease the environmental risk. The obligatory presence of black box or the right given to Port Authorities to stop the leaving of tankers during bad weather conditions, only partially work in order to avoid further environmental damage to the sea......