1
|
French-McCay DP, Robinson HJ, Adams JE, Frediani MA, Murphy MJ, Morse C, Gloekler M, Parkerton TF. Parsing the toxicity paradox: Composition and duration of exposure alter predicted oil spill effects by orders of magnitude. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 202:116285. [PMID: 38555802 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Oil spilled into an aquatic environment produces oil droplet and dissolved component concentrations and compositions that are highly variable in space and time. Toxic effects on aquatic biota vary with sensitivity of the organism, concentration, composition, environmental conditions, and frequency and duration of exposure to the mixture of oil-derived dissolved compounds. For a range of spill (surface, subsea, blowout) and oil types under different environmental conditions, modeling of oil transport, fate, and organism behavior was used to quantify expected exposures over time for planktonic, motile, and stationary organisms. Different toxicity models were applied to these exposure time histories to characterize the influential roles of composition, concentration, and duration of exposure on aquatic toxicity. Misrepresenting these roles and exposures can affect results by orders of magnitude. Well-characterized laboratory studies for <24-hour exposures are needed to improve toxicity predictions of the typically short-term exposures that characterize spills.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Julie E Adams
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sørhus E, Bjelland R, Durif C, Johnsen E, Donald CE, Meier S, Nordtug T, Vikebø FB, Perrichon P. Oil droplet fouling on lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) eggshells does not enhance the crude oil induced developmental toxicity. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133814. [PMID: 38412802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The oil industry's expansion and increased operational activity at older installations, along with their demolition, contribute to rising cumulative pollution and a heightened risk of accidental oil spills. The lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) is a keystone prey species in the North Sea and coastal systems. Their eggs adhere to the seabed substrate making them particularly vulnerable to oil exposure during embryonic development. We evaluated the sensitivity of sandeel embryos to crude oil in a laboratory by exposing them to dispersed oil at concentrations of 0, 15, 50, and 150 µg/L oil between 2 and 16 days post-fertilization. We assessed water and tissue concentrations of THC and tPAH, cyp1a expression, lipid distribution in the eyes, head and trunk, and morphological and functional deformities. Oil droplets accumulated on the eggshell in all oil treatment groups, to which the embryo responded by a dose-dependent rise in cyp1a expression. The oil exposure led to only minor sublethal deformities in the upper jaw and otic vesicle. The findings suggest that lesser sandeel embryos are resilient to crude oil exposure. The lowest observed effect level documented in this study was 36 µg THC/L and 3 µg tPAH/L. The inclusion of these species-specific data in risk assessment models will enhance the precision of risk evaluations for the North Atlantic ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elin Sørhus
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Reidun Bjelland
- Institute of Marine Research, Austevoll Research Station, Storebø, Norway
| | - Caroline Durif
- Institute of Marine Research, Austevoll Research Station, Storebø, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hansen BH, Altin D, Nordtug T. Do oil droplets and chemical dispersants contribute to uptake of oil compounds and toxicity of crude oil dispersions in cold-water copepods? JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2023:1-18. [PMID: 37870159 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2023.2271003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Accidental crude oil spills to the marine environment cause dispersion of oil into the water column through the actions of breaking waves, a process that can be facilitated using chemical dispersants. Oil dispersions contain dispersed micron-sized oil droplets and dissolved oil components, and the toxicity of oil dispersions has been assumed to be associated primarily with the latter. However, most hydrophobic, bioaccumulative and toxic crude oil components are retained within the droplets which may interact with marine filter-feeders. We here summarize the findings of 15 years of research using a unique methodology to generate controlled concentrations and droplet size distributions of dispersed crude oil to study effects on the filter-feeding cold-water copepod Calanus finmarchicus. We focus primarily on the contribution of chemical dispersants and micron-sized oil droplets to uptake and toxicity of oil compounds. Oil dispersion exposures cause PAH uptake and oil droplet accumulation on copepod body surfaces and inside their gastrointestinal tract, and exposures to high exposure (mg/L range) reduce feeding activity, causes reproductive impairments and mortality. These effects were slightly higher in the presence of chemical dispersants, possibly due to higher filtration of chemically dispersed droplets. For C. finmarchicus, dispersions containing oil droplets caused more severe toxic effects than filtered dispersions, thus, oil droplets contribute to the observed toxicity. The methodology for generating crude oil dispersion is a valuable tool to isolate impacts of crude oil microdroplets and can facilitate future research on oil dispersion toxicity and produce data to improve oil spill models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dag Altin
- BioTrix, Trondheim, Norway
- Research Infrastructure SeaLab, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Trond Nordtug
- SINTEF Ocean, Climate and Environment, Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Parkerton T, Boufadel M, Nordtug T, Mitchelmore C, Colvin K, Wetzel D, Barron MG, Bragin GE, de Jourdan B, Loughery J. Recommendations for advancing media preparation methods used to assess aquatic hazards of oils and spill response agents. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 259:106518. [PMID: 37030101 PMCID: PMC10519191 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory preparation of aqueous test media is a critical step in developing toxicity information needed for oil spill response decision-making. Multiple methods have been used to prepare physically and chemically dispersed oils which influence test outcome, interpretation, and utility for hazard assessment and modeling. This paper aims to review media preparation strategies, highlight advantages and limitations, provide recommendations for improvement, and promote the standardization of methods to better inform assessment and modeling. A benefit of media preparation methods for oil that rely on low to moderate mixing energy coupled with a variable dilution design is that the dissolved oil composition of the water accommodation fraction (WAF) stock is consistent across diluted treatments. Further, analyses that support exposure confirmation maybe reduced and reflect dissolved oil exposures that are bioavailable and amenable to toxicity modeling. Variable loading tests provide a range of dissolved oil compositions that require analytical verification at each oil loading. Regardless of test design, a preliminary study is recommended to optimize WAF mixing and settling times to achieve equilibrium between oil and test media. Variable dilution tests involving chemical dispersants (CEWAF) or high energy mixing (HEWAF) can increase dissolved oil exposures in treatment dilutions due to droplet dissolution when compared to WAFs. In contrast, HEWAF/CEWAFs generated using variable oil loadings are expected to provide dissolved oil exposures more comparable to WAFs. Preparation methods that provide droplet oil exposures should be environmentally relevant and informed by oil droplet concentrations, compositions, sizes, and exposure durations characteristic of field spill scenarios. Oil droplet generators and passive dosing techniques offer advantages for delivering controlled constant or dynamic dissolved exposures and larger volumes of test media for toxicity testing. Adoption of proposed guidance for improving media preparation methods will provide greater comparability and utility of toxicity testing in oil spill response and assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Parkerton
- EnviSci Consulting, LLC, 5900 Balcones Dr, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731, United States.
| | - Michel Boufadel
- Center for Natural Resources, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 MLK Blvd., Newark, NJ, United States.
| | - Trond Nordtug
- SINTEF Ocean AS, P.O. box 4762, Torgarden, Trondheim NO-7465, Norway.
| | - Carys Mitchelmore
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, 146 Williams Street, Solomons, MD, United States.
| | - Kat Colvin
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
| | - Dana Wetzel
- Environmental Laboratory of Forensics, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, United States.
| | - Mace G Barron
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, United States.
| | - Gail E Bragin
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc., 1545 US Highway 22 East, Annandale, NJ 08801, United States.
| | - Benjamin de Jourdan
- Huntsman Marine Science Centre, 1 Lower Campus Rd, St. Andrews, St. Andrews, New Brunswick E5B 2L7, Canada.
| | - Jennifer Loughery
- Huntsman Marine Science Centre, 1 Lower Campus Rd, St. Andrews, St. Andrews, New Brunswick E5B 2L7, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dettman HD, Wade TL, French-McCay DP, Bejarano AC, Hollebone BP, Faksness LG, Mirnaghi FS, Yang Z, Loughery J, Pretorius T, de Jourdan B. Recommendations for the advancement of oil-in-water media and source oil characterization in aquatic toxicity test studies. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 261:106582. [PMID: 37369158 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
During toxicity testing, chemical analyses of oil and exposure media samples are needed to allow comparison of results between different tests as well as to assist with identification of the drivers and mechanisms for the toxic effects observed. However, to maximize the ability to compare results between different laboratories and biota, it has long been recognized that guidelines for standard protocols were needed. In 2005, the Chemical Response to Oil Spills: Ecological Effects Research Forum (CROSERF) protocol was developed with existing common analytical methods that described a standard method for reproducible preparation of exposure media as well as recommended specific analytical methods and analyte lists for comparative toxicity testing. At the time, the primary purpose for the data collected was to inform oil spill response and contingency planning. Since then, with improvements in both analytical equipment and methods, the use of toxicity data has expanded to include their integration into fate and effect models that aim to extend the applicability of lab-based study results to make predictions for field system-level impacts. This paper focuses on providing a summary of current chemical analyses for characterization of oil and exposure media used during aquatic toxicity testing and makes recommendations for the minimum analyses needed to allow for interpretation and modeling purposes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Terry L Wade
- Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Bruce P Hollebone
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Emergency Sciences and Technology, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Fatemeh S Mirnaghi
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Emergency Sciences and Technology, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zeyu Yang
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Emergency Sciences and Technology, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nahrgang J, Granlund C, Bender ML, Sørensen L, Greenacre M, Frantzen M. No observed developmental effects in early life stages of capelin (Mallotus villosus) exposed to a water-soluble fraction of crude oil during embryonic development. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2023; 86:404-419. [PMID: 37171367 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2023.2209115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The rise in offshore oil and gas operations, maritime shipping, and tourism in northern latitudes enhances the risk of oil spills to sub-Arctic and Arctic coastal environments. Therefore, there is a need to understand the potential adverse effects of petroleum on key species in these areas. Here, we investigated the effects of oil exposure on the early life stages of capelin (Mallotus villosus), an ecologically and commercially important Barents Sea forage fish species that spawns along the coast of Northern Norway. Capelin embryos were exposed to five different concentrations (corresponding to 0.5-19 µg/L total PAHs) of water-soluble fraction (WSF) of crude oil from 6 days post fertilization (dpf) until hatch (25 dpf), and development of larvae in clean seawater was monitored until 52 dpf. None of the investigated endpoints (embryo development, larval length, heart rate, arrhythmia, and larval mortality) showed any effects. Our results suggest that the early life stages of capelin may be more robust to crude oil exposure than similar life stages of other fish species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Nahrgang
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Cassandra Granlund
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Morgan Lizabeth Bender
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
- Owl Ridge Natural Resource Consultants, Inc, Anchorage, USA
| | | | - Michael Greenacre
- Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and Barcelona School of Management, Barcelona, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
French-McCay DP, Parkerton TF, de Jourdan B. Bridging the lab to field divide: Advancing oil spill biological effects models requires revisiting aquatic toxicity testing. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 256:106389. [PMID: 36702035 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Oil fate and exposure modeling addresses the complexities of oil composition, weathering, partitioning in the environment, and the distributions and behaviors of aquatic biota to estimate exposure histories, i.e., oil component concentrations and environmental conditions experienced over time. Several approaches with increasing levels of complexity (i.e., aquatic toxicity model tiers, corresponding to varying purposes and applications) have been and continue to be developed to predict adverse effects resulting from these exposures. At Tiers 1 and 2, toxicity-based screening thresholds for assumed representative oil component compositions are used to inform spill response and risk evaluations, requiring limited toxicity data, analytical oil characterizations, and computer resources. Concentration-response relationships are employed in Tier 3 to quantify effects of assumed oil component mixture compositions. Oil spill modeling capabilities presently allow predictions of spatial and temporal compositional changes during exposure, which support mixture-based modeling frameworks. Such approaches rely on summed effects of components using toxic units to enable more realistic analyses (Tier 4). This review provides guidance for toxicological studies to inform the development of, provide input to, and validate Tier 4 aquatic toxicity models for assessing oil spill effects on aquatic biota. Evaluation of organisms' exposure histories using a toxic unit model reflects the current state-of the-science and provides an improved approach for quantifying effects of oil constituents on aquatic organisms. Since the mixture compositions in toxicity tests are not representative of field exposures, modelers rely on studies using single compounds to build toxicity models accounting for the additive effects of dynamic mixture exposures that occur after spills. Single compound toxicity data are needed to quantify the influence of exposure duration and modifying environmental factors (e.g., temperature, light) on observed effects for advancing use of this framework. Well-characterized whole oil bioassay data should be used to validate and refine these models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah P French-McCay
- RPS Ocean Science, 55 Village Square Drive, South Kingstown, Rhode Island 02879, United States.
| | - Thomas F Parkerton
- EnviSci Consulting, LLC, 5900 Balcones Dr, Suite 100, Austin, Texas 77433, United States
| | - Benjamin de Jourdan
- Huntsman Marine Science Centre, 1 Lower Campus Rd, St. Andrews, New Brunswick E5B 2L7, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sørhus E, Donald CE, Nakken CL, Perrichon P, Durif CMF, Shema S, Browman HI, Skiftesvik AB, Lie KK, Rasinger JD, Müller MHB, Meier S. Co-exposure to UV radiation and crude oil increases acute embryotoxicity and sublethal malformations in the early life stages of Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160080. [PMID: 36375555 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Crude oil causes severe abnormalities in developing fish. Photomodification of constituents in crude oil increases its toxicity several fold. We report on the effect of crude oil, in combination with ultraviolet (UV) radiation, on Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) embryos. Accumulation of crude oil on the eggshell makes haddock embryos particularly susceptible to exposure. At high latitudes, they can be exposed to UV radiation many hours a day. Haddock embryos were exposed to crude oil (5-300 μg oil/L nominal loading concentrations) for three days in the presence and absence of UV radiation (290-400 nm). UV radiation partly degraded the eggs' outer membrane resulting in less accumulation of oil droplets in the treatment with highest oil concentration (300 μg oil/L). The co-exposure treatments resulted in acute toxicity, manifested by massive tissue necrosis and subsequent mortality, reducing LC50 at hatching stage by 60 % to 0.24 μg totPAH/L compared to 0.62 μg totPAH/L in crude oil only. In the treatment with nominal low oil concentrations (5-30 μg oil/L), only co-exposure to UV led to sublethal morphological heart defects. Including phototoxicity as a parameter in risk assessments of accidental oil spills is recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elin Sørhus
- Institute of Marine Research, Marine Toxicology Group, Nordnesgaten 50, 5005 Bergen, Norway.
| | - Carey E Donald
- Institute of Marine Research, Marine Toxicology Group, Nordnesgaten 50, 5005 Bergen, Norway
| | - Charlotte L Nakken
- University of Bergen, Department of Chemistry, Allégaten 41, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Prescilla Perrichon
- Institute of Marine Research, Reproduction and Developmental Biology, Austevoll Research Station, Sauganeset 16, 5392 Storebø, Norway
| | - Caroline M F Durif
- Institute of Marine Research, Ecosystem Acoustics Group, Austevoll Research Station, Sauganeset 16, 5392 Storebø, Norway
| | - Steven Shema
- Grótti ehf, Melabraut 22, 220 Hafnarfirði, Iceland
| | - Howard I Browman
- Institute of Marine Research, Ecosystem Acoustics Group, Austevoll Research Station, Sauganeset 16, 5392 Storebø, Norway
| | - Anne Berit Skiftesvik
- Institute of Marine Research, Ecosystem Acoustics Group, Austevoll Research Station, Sauganeset 16, 5392 Storebø, Norway
| | - Kai K Lie
- Institute of Marine Research, Marine Toxicology Group, Nordnesgaten 50, 5005 Bergen, Norway
| | - Josef D Rasinger
- Institute of Marine Research, Marine Toxicology Group, Nordnesgaten 50, 5005 Bergen, Norway
| | - Mette H B Müller
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Section for Experimental Biomedicine, Universitetstunet 3, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Sonnich Meier
- Institute of Marine Research, Marine Toxicology Group, Nordnesgaten 50, 5005 Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Parkerton TF, French-McCay D, de Jourdan B, Lee K, Coelho G. Adopting a toxic unit model paradigm in design, analysis and interpretation of oil toxicity testing. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 255:106392. [PMID: 36638632 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The lack of a conceptual understanding and unifying quantitative framework to guide conduct and interpretation of laboratory oil toxicity tests, has led investigators to divergent conclusions that can confuse stakeholders and impede sound decision-making. While a plethora of oil toxicity studies are available and continue to be published, due to differences in experimental design, results between studies often cannot be compared. Furthermore, much resulting data fails to advance quantitative effect models that are critically needed for oil spill risk and impact assessments. This paper discusses the challenges posed when evaluating oil toxicity test data based on traditional, total concentration-based exposure metrics and offers solutions for improving the state of practice by adopting a unifying toxic unit (TU) model framework. Key advantages of a TU framework is that differences in test oil composition, sensitivity of the test organism/endpoint, and toxicity test design (i.e., type of test) can be taken into quantitative account in predicting aquatic toxicity. This paradigm shift is intended to bridge the utility of laboratory oil toxicity tests with improved assessment of effects in the field. To illustrate these advantages, results from literature studies are reassessed and contrasted with conclusions obtained based on past practice. Using instructive examples, model results are presented to explain how dissolved oil composition and concentrations and resulting TUs vary in WAFs prepared using variable loading or dilution test designs and the important role that unmeasured oil components contribute to predicted oil toxicity. Model results are used to highlight how the TU framework can serve as a valuable aid in designing and interpreting empirical toxicity tests and provide the data required to validate/refine predictive toxicity models. To further promote consistent exposure and hazard assessment of physically and chemically dispersed oil toxicity tests recommendations for advancing the TU framework are presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Parkerton
- EnviSci Consulting, LLC, 5900 Balcones Dr, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731, United States.
| | - Deborah French-McCay
- RPS Ocean Science, 55 Village Square Drive, South Kingstown, RI 02879, United States
| | - Benjamin de Jourdan
- Huntsman Marine Science Centre, 1 Lower Campus Rd, St. Andrews, St. Andrews, New Brunswick E5B 2L7, Canada
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth B3B 1Y9, Canada
| | - Gina Coelho
- Department of Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Oil Spill Preparedness Division, Response Research Branch,45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wade TL, Driscoll SK, McGrath J, Coolbaugh T, Liu Z, Buskey EJ. Exposure methodologies for dissolved individual hydrocarbons, dissolved oil, water oil dispersions, water accommodated fraction and chemically enhanced water accommodated fraction of fresh and weathered oil. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 184:114085. [PMID: 36113174 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Characterizing the nature and effects of oil released into the marine environment is very challenging. It is generally recognized that "environmentally relevant" conditions for exposure involve a range of temporal and spatial conditions, a range of exposure pathways (e.g., dissolved, emulsions, sorbed onto particulates matter), and a multitude of organisms, populations, and ecosystems. Various exposure methodologies have been used to study the effects of oil on aquatic organisms, and uniform protocols and exposure methods have been developed for the purposes of regulatory toxicological assessments. Ultimately, all exposure methods have drawbacks, it is impossible to totally mimic field conditions, and the choice of exposure methodology depends on the specific regulatory, toxicological, or other research questions to be addressed. The aim of this paper is to provide a concise review of the state of knowledge to identify gaps in that knowledge and summarize challenges for the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Terry L Wade
- Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University, Chemical Oceanography and Crude Oil Chemistry, USA.
| | - Susan Kane Driscoll
- Exponent, Inc., Aquatic Toxicology, One Mill & Main, Suite 150, Maynard, MA 01754, USA.
| | | | | | - Zhanfei Liu
- The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute, Crude and Weathered Oil Chemistry, USA.
| | - Edward J Buskey
- The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute, Biological Oceanography and Estuarine Ecology, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hook SE, Strzelecki J, Adams MS, Binet MT, McKnight K, Golding LA, Elsdon TS. The Influence of Oil-in-Water Preparations on the Toxicity of Crude Oil to Marine Invertebrates and Fish Following Short-Term Pulse and Continuous Exposures. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:2580-2594. [PMID: 35856873 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Following an oil spill, accurate assessments of the ecological risks of exposure to compounds within petroleum are required, as is knowledge regarding how those risks may change with the use of chemical dispersants. Laboratory toxicity tests are frequently used to assess these risks, but differences in the methods for preparation of oil-in-water solutions may confound interpretation, as may differences in exposure time to those solutions. In the present study, we used recently developed modifications of standardized ecotoxicity tests with copepods (Acartia sinjiensis), sea urchins (Heliocidaris tuberculata), and fish embryos (Seriola lalandi) to assess their response to crude oil solutions and assessed whether the oil-in-water preparation method changed the results. We created a water-accommodated fraction, a chemically enhanced water-accommodated fraction, and a high-energy water-accommodated fraction (HEWAF) using standard approaches using two different dispersants, Corexit 9500 and Slickgone NS. We found that toxicity was best related to total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (TPAH) concentrations in solution, regardless of the preparation method used, and that the HEWAF was the most toxic because it dispersed the highest quantity of oil into solution. The TPAH composition in water did not vary appreciably with different preparation methods. For copepods and sea urchins, we also found that at least some of the toxic response could be attributed to the chemical oil dispersant. We did not observe the characteristic cardiac deformities that have been previously reported in fish embryos, most likely due to the use of unweathered oil, and, as a consequence, the high proportion of naphthalenes relative to cardiotoxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in the overall composition. The present study highlights the need to characterize both the TPAH composition and concentration in test solutions when assessing oil toxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2580-2594. © 2022 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E Hook
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Merrin S Adams
- CSIRO Land and Water, Kirrawee, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Kitty McKnight
- CSIRO Land and Water, Kirrawee, New South Wales, Australia
- Current affiliation: Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lisa A Golding
- CSIRO Land and Water, Kirrawee, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Travis S Elsdon
- Chevron Technical Center, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Nordtug T, Olsen AJ, Wold PA, Salaberria I, Øverjordet IB, Altin D, Kjørsvik E, Hansen BH. The impact of exposure timing on embryo mortality and the partitioning of PAHs when cod eggs are exposed to dispersed and dissolved crude oil. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 229:113100. [PMID: 34923326 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.113100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
During sub-sea oil spills to the marine environment, oil droplets will rise towards the sea surface at a rate determined by their density and diameter as well as the vertical turbulence in the water. Micro-droplets (< 50 µm) are expected to have prolonged residence times in the water column. If present, pelagic fish eggs may thus be exposed to dispersed oil from subsurface oil spills for days, and the contribution of these micro-droplets to toxicity is not well known. The purpose of this work was to investigate to what extent timing of exposure and the presence of oil micro droplets affects PAH uptake and survival of pelagic Atlantic cod eggs. A single batch of eggs was separated in two groups and exposed to dispersions and corresponding water-soluble fraction at 3-7 days (Early exposure) and 9-13 days (Late exposure) post fertilization. Partitioning of PAHs between crude oil microdroplets, water and eggs was estimated as well as the contribution of oil droplets to PAH body residue and acute and delayed mortality. Timing of oil exposure clearly affects both the mortality rate and the timing of mortality. Even though the body residue of PAHs were lower when embryos were exposed in the later embryonic stage, mortality rate increased relative to the early exposure indicating that critical body residue threshold is stage specific. Although our results suggest that the dissolved fraction is the dominating driver for toxicity in cod embryos exposed to oil dispersions, crude oil micro droplets contribute to increased mortality as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trond Nordtug
- SINTEF Ocean, Climate and Environment, 7465 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Anders J Olsen
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Per-Arvid Wold
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Queen Maud University College, 7044 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Iurgi Salaberria
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | | | - Elin Kjørsvik
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Eldridge RJ, de Jourdan BP, Hanson ML. A Critical Review of the Availability, Reliability, and Ecological Relevance of Arctic Species Toxicity Tests for Use in Environmental Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:46-72. [PMID: 34758147 PMCID: PMC9304189 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
There is a pressing need to understand the impact of contaminants on Arctic ecosystems; however, most toxicity tests are based on temperate species, and there are issues with reliability and relevance of bioassays in general. Together this may result in an underestimation of harm to Arctic organisms and contribute to significant uncertainty in risk assessments. To help address these concerns, a critical review to assess reported effects for these species, quantify methodological and endpoint relevance gaps, and identify future research needs for testing was performed. We developed uniform criteria to score each study, allowing an objective comparison across experiments to quantify their reliability and relevance. We scored a total of 48 individual studies, capturing 39 tested compounds, 73 unique Arctic test species, and 95 distinct endpoints published from 1975 to 2021. Our analysis shows that of 253 test substance and species combinations scored (i.e., a unique toxicity test), 207 (82%) failed to meet at least one critical study criterion that contributes to data reliability for use in risk assessment. Arctic-focused toxicity testing needs to ensure that exposures can be analytically confirmed, include environmentally realistic exposure scenarios, and report test methods more thoroughly. Significant data gaps were identified as related to standardized toxicity testing with Arctic species, diversity of compounds tested with these organisms, and the inclusion of ecologically relevant sublethal and chronic endpoints assessed in Arctic toxicity testing. Overall, there needs to be ongoing improvement in test conduction and reporting in the scientific literature to support effective risk assessments in an Arctic context. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:46-72. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J. Eldridge
- Huntsman Marine Science CentreSt. AndrewsNew BrunswickCanada
- Department of Environment and GeographyUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | | | - Mark L. Hanson
- Department of Environment and GeographyUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hamidi S, Banaee M, Pourkhabbaz HR, Sureda A, Khodadoust S, Pourkhabbaz AR. Effect of petroleum wastewater treated with gravity separation and magnetite nanoparticles adsorption methods on the blood biochemical response of mrigal fish (Cirrhinus cirrhosus). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:3718-3732. [PMID: 34389959 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15106-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Drainage of treated wastewater to surface water is a severe threat to the health of aquatic organisms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 0.5 and 1% water-soluble fractions of crude oil (WSFO), WSFO treated with magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 (TWSFO-Fe3O4) and with the gravity separation method (TWSFO-GSM) on Cirrhinus cirrhosis for 21 days. The rate of erythrocyte hemolysis in fish exposed to untreated 0.5 and 1% WSFO were significantly high. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly increased in the groups exposed to TWSFO-GSM compared to the control group, while lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was reduced. No significant differences in LDH, ALT, ALP, and GGT activities were observed in the fish treated with TWSFO-Fe3O4. The aspartate aminotransferase activity was significantly increased after exposure to TWSFO-Fe3O4 (1%) and TWSFO-GSM. The levels of triglyceride were decreased, whereas glucose, cholesterol, and cholinesterase activity increased in fish after both treatments. The total protein and albumin contents significantly decreased in fish under exposure to both doses of TWSFO-Fe3O4 and TWSFO-GSM. The globulin level decreased in fish exposed to TWSFO-Fe3O4 (1%) and TWSFO-GSM. Glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities, and total antioxidant levels were significantly reduced in the hepatocytes of fish exposed to TWSFO-Fe3O4, TWSFO-GSM, and WSFO, while superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde content were increased. This study showed that despite removing oil drips from the WSFO, the xenobiotics present in the effluent treated by gravitational or nano-magnetite methods caused changes in biochemical parameters and induced oxidative stress. Therefore, it is recommended to prevent the discharge of treated effluent from the oil and petrochemical industries to aquatic ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sakineh Hamidi
- Environmental Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and the Environment, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Mahdi Banaee
- Aquaculture Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and the Environment, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Iran.
| | - Hamid Reza Pourkhabbaz
- Environmental Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and the Environment, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Antoni Sureda
- Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, the Balearic Islands Health Research Institute (IdISBa), and CIBEROBN Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, University of Balearic Islands, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Saeid Khodadoust
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Basic Science, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Ali Reza Pourkhabbaz
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Whale GF, Hjort M, Di Paolo C, Redman AD, Postma JF, Legradi J, Leonards PEG. Assessment of oil refinery wastewater and effluent integrating bioassays, mechanistic modelling and bioavailability evaluation. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 287:132146. [PMID: 34537454 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Water is used in petroleum oil refineries in significant volumes for cooling, steam generation and processing of raw materials. Effective water management is required at refineries to ensure their efficient and responsible operation with respect to the water environment. However, ascertaining the potential environmental risks associated with discharge of refinery effluents to receiving waters is challenging because of their compositional complexity. Recent European research and regulatory initiatives propose a more holistic approach including biological effect methods to assess complex effluents and surface water quality. The study presented here investigated potential effects of effluent composition, particularly hydrocarbons, on aquatic toxicity and was a component of a larger study assessing contaminant removal during refinery wastewater treatment (Hjort et al 2021). The evaluation of effects utilised a novel combination of mechanistic toxicity modelling based on the exposure composition, measured bioavailable hydrocarbons using biomimetic solid phase microextraction (BE-SPME), and bioassays. The results indicate that in the refinery effluent assessments measured bioavailable hydrocarbons using BE-SPME was correlated with the responses in standard bioassays. It confirms that bioassays are providing relevant data and that BE-SPME measurement, combined with knowledge of other known non-hydrocarbon toxic constituents, provide key tools for toxicity identification. Overall, the results indicate that oil refinery effluents treated in accordance to the EU Industrial Emissions Directive requirements have low to negligible toxicity to aquatic organisms and their receiving environments. Low-cost, animal-free BE-SPME represents a compelling tool for rapid effluent characterization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G F Whale
- Whale Environmental Consultancy Limited, 55 Earlsway, Curzon Park, Chester, CH48AZ, United Kingdom
| | - M Hjort
- Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, 1160, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - C Di Paolo
- Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, 1160, Brussels, Belgium; Shell International, Shell Health Risk Science Team, The Hague, the Netherlands
| | - A D Redman
- Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, 1160, Brussels, Belgium; ExxonMobil Petroleum and Chemical, Machelen, Belgium
| | - J F Postma
- Ecofide, Singel 105, 1381 AT, Weesp, the Netherlands
| | - J Legradi
- Department of Environment & Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P E G Leonards
- Department of Environment & Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Softcheck KA. Marine Algal Sensitivity to Source and Weathered Oils. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:2742-2754. [PMID: 34423860 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, toxicity tests were conducted using 4 microalgae (Dunaliella tertiolecta, Skeletonema costatum, Isochrysis galbana, and Thalassiosira pseudonana) and one macroalga (Ectocarpus siliculosus) to study potential impacts on phytoplankton and other primary producers in the Gulf of Mexico and characterize species sensitivity. Tests were performed with Corexit 9500 and fresh source oil and weathered oil samples collected from the field during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Because crude oils are mixtures of poorly water-soluble hydrocarbons, dosing was performed using water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) and chemically enhanced (CE) WAFs with the addition of dispersant at a 1:20 dispersant:oil ratio using standard toxicity testing protocols. Exposure media were analyzed for volatile organic compounds, parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and saturated hydrocarbon compounds. Toxicity was reported as no-observable effect concentration and median effect concentration (EC50) values for average specific growth rate based on nominal percent dilution of stock solution WAFs and sum of dissolved oil toxic units for WAF/CEWAF tests. The macroalga and green alga D. tertiolecta were largely unaffected by any WAF or CEWAFs tested. Isochrysis galbana was found to be the most sensitive species overall with significant growth rate inhibitions for dispersant and all the WAFs/CEWAFs tested. Physically dispersed source oils were generally more toxic than weathered oils. The protectiveness of the chronic toxic units was effective at identifying observed algal growth rate inhibitions across algal species and oil types despite the impact of dispersants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2742-2754. © 2021 SETAC.
Collapse
|
17
|
Maloney EM, Naile J, Saunders DMV. Quantifying the effect of weathering on acute oil toxicity using the PETROTOX model. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 162:111849. [PMID: 33248672 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Following accidental release into marine environments, crude oil progressively weathers, influencing composition, fate, and toxicity. However, published studies draw conflicting conclusions on the effects of oil weathering on ecotoxicity. Using the PETROTOX model, this study characterized the effect of weathering on acute oil toxicity for four aquatic species. Results indicated that predicted acute toxicity decreased with increased oil weathering, due to reductions in overall concentrations and bioavailability of hydrocarbon constituents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E M Maloney
- Shell Health, Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J Naile
- Shell Health, Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - D M V Saunders
- Shell Health, Shell International, The Hague, Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Brown KE, King CK, Harrison PL. Impacts of Petroleum Fuels on Fertilization and Development of the Antarctic Sea Urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2020; 39:2527-2539. [PMID: 32946126 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic marine environments are at risk from petroleum fuel spills as shipping activities in the Southern Ocean increase. Knowledge of the sensitivity of Antarctic species to fuels under environmentally realistic exposure conditions is lacking. We determined the toxicity of 3 fuels, Special Antarctic Blend diesel (SAB), marine gas oil (MGO), and intermediate fuel oil (IFO 180) to a common Antarctic sea urchin, Sterechinus neumayeri. Sensitivity was estimated for early developmental stages from fertilization to the early 4-arm pluteus in toxicity tests of up to 24 d duration. The effects of the water accommodated fractions (WAFs) of fuels were investigated under different exposure scenarios to determine the relative sensitivity of stages and of different exposure regimes. Sensitivity to fuel WAFs increased through development. Both MGO and IFO 180 were more toxic than SAB, with median effect concentration values for the most sensitive pluteus stage of 3.5, 6.5, and 252 µg/L total hydrocarbon content, respectively. Exposure to a single pulse during fertilization and early embryonic development showed toxicity patterns similar to those observed from continuous exposure. The results show that exposure to fuel WAFs during critical early life stages affects the subsequent viability of larvae, with consequent implications for reproductive success. The sensitivity estimates for S. neumayeri that we generated can be utilized in risk assessments for the management of Antarctic marine ecosystems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2527-2539. © 2020 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Brown
- Australian Antarctic Division, Environmental Protection, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Catherine K King
- Australian Antarctic Division, Environmental Protection, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Peter L Harrison
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Beyer J, Goksøyr A, Hjermann DØ, Klungsøyr J. Environmental effects of offshore produced water discharges: A review focused on the Norwegian continental shelf. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 162:105155. [PMID: 32992224 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Produced water (PW), a large byproduct of offshore oil and gas extraction, is reinjected to formations or discharged to the sea after treatment. The discharges contain dispersed crude oil, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkylphenols (APs), metals, and many other constituents of environmental relevance. Risk-based regulation, greener offshore chemicals and improved cleaning systems have reduced environmental risks of PW discharges, but PW is still the largest operational source of oil pollution to the sea from the offshore petroleum industry. Monitoring surveys find detectable exposures in caged mussel and fish several km downstream from PW outfalls, but biomarkers indicate only mild acute effects in these sentinels. On the other hand, increased concentrations of DNA adducts are found repeatedly in benthic fish populations, especially in haddock. It is uncertain whether increased adducts could be a long-term effect of sediment contamination due to ongoing PW discharges, or earlier discharges of oil-containing drilling waste. Another concern is uncertainty regarding the possible effect of PW discharges in the sub-Arctic Southern Barents Sea. So far, research suggests that sub-arctic species are largely comparable to temperate species in their sensitivity to PW exposure. Larval deformities and cardiac toxicity in fish early life stages are among the biomarkers and adverse outcome pathways that currently receive much attention in PW effect research. Herein, we summarize the accumulated ecotoxicological knowledge of offshore PW discharges and highlight some key remaining knowledge needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonny Beyer
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway.
| | - Anders Goksøyr
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway; Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Bergen, Norway
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hook SE. Beyond Thresholds: A Holistic Approach to Impact Assessment Is Needed to Enable Accurate Predictions of Environmental Risk from Oil Spills. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2020; 16:813-830. [PMID: 32729983 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The risk assessment for the environmental impact of oil spills in Australia is often conducted in part using a combination of spill mapping and toxicological thresholds derived from laboratory studies. While this process is useful in planning operational responses, such as where to position equipment stockpiles and whether to disperse oil, and can be used to identify areas near the spill site where impacts are likely to occur, it cannot accurately predict the environmental consequences of an oil spill or the ecosystem recovery times. Evidence of this disconnect between model predictions and observed impacts is the lack of a profound effect of the Deepwater Horizon wellhead blowout on recruitment to fisheries in the northern Gulf of Mexico, contrary to the predictions made in the Natural Resources Damage Assessment and despite the occurrence of impacts of the spill on marine mammals, marshes, and deep water ecosystems. The incongruity between predictions made with the current approach using threshold monitoring and impacts measured in the field results from some of the assumptions included in the oil spill models. The incorrect assumptions include that toxicity is acute, results from dissolved phase exposure, and would be readily reversible. The toxicity tests from which threshold models are derived use members of the ecosystem that are easily studied in the lab but may not represent the ecosystem as a whole. The test species are typically highly abundant plankton or planktonic life stages, and they have life histories that account for rapid changes in environmental conditions. As a consequence, these organisms recover quickly from an oil spill. The interdependence of ecosystem components, including the reliance of organisms on their microbiomes, is often overlooked. Additional research to assess these data gaps conducted using economically and ecologically relevant species, especially in Australia and other understudied areas of the world, and the use of population dynamic models, will improve the accuracy of environmental risk assessment for oil spills. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:813-830. © 2020 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E Hook
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Bytingsvik J, Parkerton TF, Guyomarch J, Tassara L, LeFloch S, Arnold WR, Brander SM, Volety A, Camus L. The sensitivity of the deepsea species northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and the cold-water coral (Lophelia pertusa) to oil-associated aromatic compounds, dispersant, and Alaskan North Slope crude oil. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 156:111202. [PMID: 32510422 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the sensitivity of two deepsea species using mortality of northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and polyp activity of stony coral (Lophelia pertusa) to dispersant, Corexit 9500 and aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene, 2-methylnaphthalene, phenanthrene) in 96-h tests. Resulting hydrocarbon toxicity data were fit to the Target Lipid Model to generate predictive models and determine species sensitivity. Toxicity of chemically enhanced water accommodated fractions of Alaskan North Slope crude oil (ANS-oil) was also investigated with shrimp using nominal loading, total petroleum hydrocarbons and biomimetic extraction (BE) as oil exposure metrics. Coral were more sensitive to dispersant than shrimp while similar sensitivity was observed for hydrocarbons. Study and literature findings indicate deepsea species exhibit acute sensitivities to dispersant, hydrocarbons and oil that are comparable to pelagic species. Results support use of passive sampling methods to quantify dissolved oil for interpreting oil toxicity tests and suggest models for predicting time-dependence of toxicity warrant re-evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Julien Guyomarch
- Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution (Cedre), Brest, France
| | - Luca Tassara
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Troms, Norway
| | - Stephane LeFloch
- Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution (Cedre), Brest, France
| | | | - Susanne M Brander
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, NC, USA; Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Aswani Volety
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, NC, USA; Department of Biology, Elon University, Elon, NC, USA
| | - Lionel Camus
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Troms, Norway
| |
Collapse
|