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Hepditch SLJ, Gutierrez-Villagomez JM, To TA, Larocque E, Xin Q, Heshka N, Vander Meulen I, Headley JV, Dettman HD, Triffault-Bouchet G, Ahad JME, Langlois VS. Aquatic toxicity and chemical fate of diluted bitumen spills in freshwater under natural weathering. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108944. [PMID: 39151269 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108944] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Increasing global demands for oils are fueling the production of diluted bitumen (DB) from Canada's oil sands region. More weathered than conventional crude (CC) oils, Alberta bitumen is often diluted with lighter petroleum oils to reduce density and viscosity to meet pipeline specifications for transportation. Being a heavy oil product that is transported in large volumes across Canada and the USA, there has been interest to compare its behavior and toxicity characteristics when spilled to those of CC. To determine the influence of environmental weathering upon DB following a freshwater spill, we conducted separate controlled spills of Cold Lake Blend DB and Mixed Sweet Blend light CC oil in a mesocosm spill-tank system at 24 °C with wave-action for 56 days. DB-contaminated waters remained acutely lethal for a period of 14 days to early life stage fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed during embryologic development, while CC was lethal for 1 day. However, concentrations of mono- and polycyclic aromatic compounds, often claimed to be principally responsible for the acute and chronic toxicity of crude oils, were consistently higher in CC water compared to DB. Elevated aromatic concentrations in CC water correlated with higher prevalences of developmental malformations, reduced heart and growth rates, and impacts on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway. Organic acids were measured over the course of the studies and O2 containing naphthenic acids were present at greater relative abundances in DB- compared to CC-contaminated water, with their attenuation correlating with reduced acute and sublethal toxicity. Furthermore, organic acid degradation products accumulated with time and likely contributed to the consistently sublethal toxicity of the weathered oils throughout the experiment. Improved characterization of the fractions including organic acids and those organic compounds found within the unresolved complex mixture of fresh and weathered crude oils is necessary to adequately understand and prepare for the risks that accidental petroleum spills pose to aquatic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L J Hepditch
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec City, QC G1K 9A9, Canada; Centre d'expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec, ministère de l'Environnement et de la lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la faune et des forêts (MELCCFP), Québec City, QC H7C 2M7, Canada; Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Québec City, QC G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - J M Gutierrez-Villagomez
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec City, QC G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - T A To
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec City, QC G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - E Larocque
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec City, QC G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - Q Xin
- Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), CanmetENERGY, 1 Oil Patch Drive, Devon, AB T9G 1A8, Canada
| | - N Heshka
- Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), CanmetENERGY, 1 Oil Patch Drive, Devon, AB T9G 1A8, Canada
| | - I Vander Meulen
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, National Hydrology Research Center, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - J V Headley
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, National Hydrology Research Center, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - H D Dettman
- Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), CanmetENERGY, 1 Oil Patch Drive, Devon, AB T9G 1A8, Canada
| | - G Triffault-Bouchet
- Centre d'expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec, ministère de l'Environnement et de la lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la faune et des forêts (MELCCFP), Québec City, QC H7C 2M7, Canada
| | - J M E Ahad
- Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Québec City, QC G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - V S Langlois
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec City, QC G1K 9A9, Canada.
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Mai Y, Wang Y, Geng T, Peng S, Lai Z, Wang X, Li H. A systematic toxicologic study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on aquatic organisms via food-web bioaccumulation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172362. [PMID: 38649047 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172362] [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: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Pollution-induced declines in fishery resources restrict the sustainable development of fishery. As a kind of typical environmental pollutant, the mechanism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) facilitating fishery resources declines needs to be fully illustrated. To determine how PAHs have led to declines in fishery resources, a systematic toxicologic analysis of the effects of PAHs on aquatic organisms via food-web bioaccumulation was performed in the Pearl River and its estuary. Overall, PAH bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms was correlated with the trophic levels along food-web, exhibiting as significant positive correlations were observed between PAHs concentration and the trophic levels of fishes in the Pearl River Estuary. Additionally, waterborne PAHs exerted significant direct effects on dietary organisms (P < 0.05), and diet-borne PAHs subsequently exhibited significant direct effects on fish (P < 0.05). However, an apparent block effect was found in dietary organisms (e.g., zooplankton) where 33.49 % of the total system throughput (TST) was retained at trophic level II, exhibiting as the highest PAHs concentration, bioaccumulation factor (BAF), and biomagnification factor (BMF) of ∑15PAHs in zooplankton were at least eight-fold greater than those in fishes in both the Pearl River and its estuary, thereby waterborne PAHs exerted either direct or indirect effects on fishes that ultimately led to food-web simplification. Regardless of the block effect of dietary organisms, a general toxic effect of PAHs on aquatic organisms was observed, e.g., Phe and BaP exerted lethal effects on phytoplankton Chlorella pyrenoidosa and zooplankton Daphnia magna, and decreased reproduction in fishes Danio rerio and Megalobrama hoffmanni via activating the NOD-like receptors (NLRs) signaling pathway. Consequently, an assembled aggregate exposure pathway for PAHs revealed that increases in waterborne PAHs led to bioaccumulation of PAHs in aquatic organisms along food-web, and this in turn decreased the reproductive ability of fishes, thus causing decline in fishery resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhan Mai
- National Agricultural Scientific Observing and Experimental Station for Fisheries Resources and Environment, Guangzhou, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Pearl River, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Aquatic Invasive Alien Species, Fishery Ecological Environment Monitoring Center of Pearl River Basin, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Immunology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China
| | - Yunfan Wang
- Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine Greater Bay Area, Zhongshan 528437, China
| | - Tuo Geng
- Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine Greater Bay Area, Zhongshan 528437, China
| | - Songyao Peng
- Pearl River Water Resources Research Institute, Guangzhou 510611, China
| | - Zini Lai
- National Agricultural Scientific Observing and Experimental Station for Fisheries Resources and Environment, Guangzhou, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Pearl River, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Aquatic Invasive Alien Species, Fishery Ecological Environment Monitoring Center of Pearl River Basin, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Immunology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China
| | - Xuesong Wang
- Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine Greater Bay Area, Zhongshan 528437, China.
| | - Haiyan Li
- National Agricultural Scientific Observing and Experimental Station for Fisheries Resources and Environment, Guangzhou, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Pearl River, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Aquatic Invasive Alien Species, Fishery Ecological Environment Monitoring Center of Pearl River Basin, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Immunology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China.
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3
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England E, Morris JW, Bussy C, Hancox JC, Shiels HA. The key characteristics of cardiotoxicity for the pervasive pollutant phenanthrene. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133853. [PMID: 38503207 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133853] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The key characteristic (KCs) framework has been used previously to assess the carcinogenicity and cardiotoxicity of various chemical and pharmacological agents. Here, the 12 KCs of cardiotoxicity are used to evaluate the previously reported cardiotoxicity of phenanthrene (Phe), a tricyclic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and major component of fossil fuel-derived air pollution. Phe is a semi-volatile pollutant existing in both the gas phase and particle phase through adsorption onto or into particulate matter (PM). Phe can translocate across the airways and gastrointestinal tract into the systemic circulation, enabling body-wide effects. Our evaluation based on a comprehensive literature review, indicates Phe exhibits 11 of the 12 KCs for cardiotoxicity. These include adverse effects on cardiac electromechanical performance, the vasculature and endothelium, immunomodulation and oxidative stress, and neuronal and endocrine control. Environmental agents that have similarly damaging effects on the cardiovascular system are heavily regulated and monitored, yet globally there is no air quality regulation specific for PAHs like Phe. Environmental monitoring of Phe is not the international standard with benzo[a]pyrene being frequently used as a proxy despite the two PAH species exhibiting significant differences in sources, concentration variations and toxic effects. The evidence summarised in this evaluation highlights the need to move away from proxied PAH measurements and develop a monitoring network capable of measuring Phe concentration. It also stresses the need to raise awareness amongst the medical community of the potential cardiovascular impact of PAH exposure. This will allow the production of mitigation strategies and possibly the development of new policies for the protection of the societal groups most vulnerable to cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- E England
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - J W Morris
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - C Bussy
- Division of Immunology, Immunity to Infection, and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, UK
| | - J C Hancox
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - H A Shiels
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Nakken CL, Meier S, Mjøs SA, Bijlsma L, Rowland SJ, Donald CE. Discovery of polycyclic aromatic acid metabolites in fish exposed to the petroleum compounds 1-methylphenanthrene and 1,4-dimethylphenanthrene. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 918:170496. [PMID: 38296090 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170496] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Most of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in petroleum are alkylated (alkyl PAHs), still the metabolism of these alkyl PAHs to the expected acid products (polycyclic aromatic acids; PAAs) has yet to be demonstrated in oil-exposed fish. Should these compounds be discovered in fish as they have in ragworm, rodents, and humans, they could present an indicative biomarker for assessing oil pollution. In this study, the ability to biotransform alkyl PAHs to PAAs was examined on Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus). Exposure to phenanthrene, 1-methyphenanthrene or 1,4-dimethylphenanthrene was performed via intraperitoneal injection. An Ion Mobility Quadrupole Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (IMS-Q-TOF MS) was used in exploratory analysis of extracted bile samples. Acquisition of four-dimensional information by coupling liquid chromatography with the IMS-Q-TOF MS and in-silico prediction for feature prioritization in the data processing workflow allowed several tentative identifications with high degree of confidence. This work presents the first detection of PAAs in fish and suggests the importance of investigating alkyl PAHs in ecotoxicological studies of oil-polluted fish environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte L Nakken
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Marine Toxicology, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sonnich Meier
- Marine Toxicology, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Svein A Mjøs
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Castellón, Spain
| | - Steven J Rowland
- Petroleum & Environmental Geochemistry Group, Biogeochemistry Research Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, Devon, UK
| | - Carey E Donald
- Marine Toxicology, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
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Frøysa HG, Nepstad R, Meier S, Donald C, Sørhus E, Bockwoldt M, Carroll J, Vikebø FB. Mind the gap - Relevant design for laboratory oil exposure of fish as informed by a numerical impact assessment model. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166951. [PMID: 37696403 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory experiments provide knowledge of species-specific effects thresholds that are used to parameterize impact assessment models of oil contamination on marine ecosystems. Such experiments typically place individuals of species and life stages in tanks with different contaminant concentrations. Exposure concentrations are usually fixed, and the individuals experience a shock treatment being moved from clean water directly into contaminated water and then back to clean water. In this study, we use a coupled numerical model that simulates ocean currents and state, oil dispersal and fate, and early life stages of fish to quantify oil exposure histories, specifically addressing oil spill scenarios of high rates and long durations. By including uptake modelling we also investigate the potential of buffering transient high peaks in exposure. Our simulation results are the basis for a recommendation on the design of laboratory experiments to improve impact assessment model development and parameterization. We recommend an exposure profile with three main phases: i) a gradual increase in concentration, ii) a transient peak that is well above the subsequent level, and iii) a plateau of fixed concentration lasting ∼3 days. In addition, a fourth phase with a slow decrease may be added.
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Affiliation(s)
- Håvard G Frøysa
- Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway.
| | - Raymond Nepstad
- SINTEF Ocean, PO Box 4762, Torgarden, 7465 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Sonnich Meier
- Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Carey Donald
- Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Elin Sørhus
- Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Mathias Bockwoldt
- Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - JoLynn Carroll
- Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway; Akvaplan-Niva, FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Frode B Vikebø
- Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway; Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, PO Box 7830, 5020 Bergen, Norway
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