Oil Spill-Induced Pollution of the Caucasian Coast of the Black Sea

The results of the investigation into the environmental consequences of the December 15, 2024 accident involving the tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 indicate that the Anapa area was the most heavily polluted. The decrease in hydrocarbon concentrations observed 2.5 months after the accident was attributable to mechanical weathering onshore and in the water column, as well as to microbial degradation. As a result, concentrations of chloroform-extractable organic matter, including low molecular weight alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), declined. The hydrocarbon composition of suspended particulate matter in near-bottom waters and of bottom sediments remained predominantly petrogenic. The area remains affected by residual petroleum hydrocarbon pollution.