Page 27 - AJWEP-22-6

Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 22, No. 6 (2025), pp. 21-46.
doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025290224

REVIEW ARTICLE

Hydrocarbons in seawater: Sources, fate, impacts, and
remediation strategies

Daniele Fattorini *
1,2
1 Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche,
Ancona, Marche, Italy
2 National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
*Corresponding author: Daniele Fattorini (d.fattorini@staff.univpm.it)

Received: July 15, 2025; Revised: August 1, 2025; Accepted: August 18, 2025; Published online: September 8, 2025

Abstract: Hydrocarbon contamination in marine environments poses a significant global environmental challenge,
impacting ecosystems, human health, and economic activities. The present review provides a comprehensive
overview of hydrocarbons in seawater, addressing their diverse sources, complex fate and transport mechanisms,
ecological and toxicological impacts, and various remediation strategies. Both natural seepages from geological
formations and a wide array of anthropogenic inputs are discussed as primary contributors to marine hydrocarbon
burdens. Anthropogenic carbon inputs include large-scale accidental oil spills, chronic operational discharges from
shipping and offshore platforms, industrial effluents, and diffuse urban runoff carrying petrogenic and pyrogenic
hydrocarbons, during the past 50 years. In the sea, hydrocarbons undergo a series of interconnected physical,
chemical, and biological transformations that mediate their persistence, bioavailability, and spatial distribution. The
specific environmental conditions, such as temperature, nutrient availability, and microbial community composition,
significantly influence the rate and extent of these natural attenuation processes. The ecological consequences
range from acute lethal impacts causing immediate mortality in marine organisms to chronic sublethal effects
on reproduction, growth, immune response, and behavior across a wide range of taxa, from plankton to marine
mammals. Furthermore, long-term ecosystem disruptions, including habitat degradation of vital coastal areas,
such as mangroves and coral reefs, and bioaccumulation within the food web, pose serious threats to ecosystem
health and biodiversity. To mitigate these adverse effects, a range of remediation strategies has been developed and
implemented; their mechanisms, effectiveness in various scenarios, inherent limitations, and potential secondary
environmental considerations are explored in this review. Emphasis is placed on the importance of integrated
approaches that combine rigorous prevention measures, rapid and effective response protocols during spill events,
and sustainable, environmentally sound long-term remediation techniques. Understanding the intricate interplay
between the sources, transformations, impacts, and potential solutions for hydrocarbon contamination is crucial for
developing robust management plans and safeguarding the long-term health and resilience of marine ecosystems.

Keywords: Hydrocarbons; Marine environment; Natural source; Anthropogenic pollution; Monitoring programs;
Remediation strategy

1. Introduction compounds, among which aliphatic hydrocarbon
mixtures are significant substances with profound natural
The oceans represent vast and dynamic reservoirs of origins and widespread anthropogenic influences.
1-3
life. They are constantly exposed to various chemical Fundamentally, hydrocarbons are organic compounds

Volume 22 Issue 6 (2025) 21 doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025290224