Abstract
Coastal oil spills generate complex environmental impacts that require increasingly specialized remediation strategies. This study presents a systematic review of the ten most significant oil spill events worldwide, analyzing the remediation techniques applied, their temporal evolution, and existing thematic gaps in the scientific literature. The search was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science, applying clearly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria to obtain an adequate documentary corpus. The results indicate that scientific production is influenced by historical, technological, and institutional factors, and that remediation approaches have progressively shifted from predominantly physical methods toward more integrated biological strategies. However, several limitations persist, particularly the limited field validation of emerging technologies such as nanotechnology, electroremediation, and artificial intelligence. In addition, the need to assess the functional recovery of ecosystems after remediation processes is highlighted. The study proposes strategic directions for future research in hydrocarbon-impacted coastal environments.
References
F. J. De Lima Silva et al., “Overview of oil spills worldwide and impacts on marine megafauna”, BJCR, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 78-94, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.52600/2763-583X.bjcr.2024.4.1.78-94.
A. Gomez and B. Santhakumar, “Oil spill remediation techniques and their effectiveness in coastal waters”, IJARES, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 71-86, May 2025, doi: 10.70102/IJARES/V5I1/5-1-09.
H. Bi, C. N. Mulligan, K. Lee, B. Zhang, Z. Chen, and C. An, “Nanotechnology for oil spill response and cleanup in coastal regions”, Environ. Sci.: Nano, no. 12, pp. 41-47, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.1039/D4EN00954A.
M. Manasseh Ilumunter and S. Humphrey Sam, “Bioremediation of oil spill: concept, methods and applications”, Discov. Chem., vol. 1, no. 42, pp. 1-18, Nov. 2024, doi: 10.1007/s44371-024-00038-2.
R. A. Vizuete García, D. M. Bonilla Jurado, y C. G. Albán Yánez, “Método de contingencia a través del sistema de marco lógico”, UCT, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 96-106, Abr. 2019, disponible en: https://uctunexpo.autanabooks.com/index.php/uct/article/download/54/55
R. N. Vasconcelos et al., “Trends in oil spill modeling: a review of the literature”, Water, vol. 17, no. 15, pp. 1-38, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.3390/w17152300.
M. O. Méndez Mantuano, K. X. Bodero Jiménez, S. F. Alvarado Fiallo, Á. R. Huayamave Rosado, and D. V. Apolo Robles, “Biosynthesis of iron nanoparticles (Fe3O4) in the remediation of polluted waters”, UCT, vol. 24, no. 96, pp. 35-45, Ene. 2020, disponible en: https://uctunexpo.autanabooks.com/index.php/uct/article/view/262
P. G. Lopes Pena, A. L. Northcross, M. A. Gomes De Lima, and R. D. C. Franco Rêgo, “Derramamento de óleo bruto na costa brasileira em 2019: emergência em saúde pública em questão”, Cad. Saúde Pública, vol. 36, no. 2, p. e00231019, Mar. 2020, doi: 10.1590/0102-311x00231019.
R. Peixoto et al., “Bacterial communities reflect the spatial variation in pollutant levels in Brazilian mangrove sediment”, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, vol. 99, no. 2, pp. 341-354, Feb. 2011, doi: 10.1007/s10482-010-9499-0.
G. M. King, J. E. Kostka, T. C. Hazen, and P. A. Sobecky, “Microbial responses to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: from coastal wetlands to the deep sea”, Annu. Rev. Mar. Sci., vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 377-401, ene. 2015, doi: 10.1146/annurev-marine-010814-015543.
C. Lee et al., “Comparative evaluation of bioremediation techniques on oil contaminated sediments in long-term recovery of benthic community health”, Environ. Pollut., vol. 252, pp. 137-145, Sep. 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.100.
NOAA, Oill spill case histories. 1967 - 1991. Summaries of significant U.S. and international spills, 1st ed. Seattle: NOAA, 1992. Disponible en: https://web.archive.org/web/20111121222456/http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/26_spilldb.pdf
H. F. Santos, F. L. Carmo, J. E. S. Paes, A. S. Rosado, and R. S. Peixoto, “Bioremediation of mangroves impacted by petroleum”, Water Air Soil Pollut, vol. 216, no. 1-4, pp. 329-350, Mar. 2011, doi: 10.1007/s11270-010-0536-4.
N. Jiménez, M. Viñas, J. M. Bayona, J. Albaiges, and A. M. Solanas, “The Prestige oil spill: bacterial community dynamics during a field biostimulation assay”, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., vol. 77, no. 4, pp. 935-945, Dec. 2007, doi: 10.1007/s00253-007-1229-9.
R. M. Atlas, P. D. Boehm, and J. A. Calder, “Chemical and biological weathering of oil, from the Amoco Cadiz spillage, within the littoral zone”, Est. Coast. Shelf Sci., vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 589-608, May 1981, doi: 10.1016/S0302-3524(81)80085-0.
A. Barbosa Da Rocha et al., “Shrimp laccase degrades polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from an oil spill disaster in Brazil: A tool for marine environmental bioremediation”, Mar. Pollut. Bull., vol. 194, p. 115445, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115445.
N. Porcino, F. Crisafi, M. Catalfamo, R. Denaro, and F. Smedile, “Electrokinetic remediation in marine sediment: A review and a bibliometric analysis”, Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 11, p. 4616, May 2024, doi: 10.3390/su16114616.
A. Kõivupuu et al., “Towards resilient marine ecosystems: EcoSensitivity as an operational model for strategic oil spill management”, JMSE, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 2, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.3390/jmse13010002.
M. F. Bin Yusup, “Mitigating the impact of oil spills in the sea with responsive strategies and ecosystem recovery”, Journal of Maritime Technology and Society, pp. 22-27, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.62012/mp.v3i2.35387.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

