Long-term monitoring of marine nematode assemblages in the Morlaix estuary (France) following the Amoco Cadiz oil spill

In March 1978 the coast of Brittany was heavily polluted with oil from the Amoco Cadiz. Marine nematode assemblages from the Morlaix estuary were regularly monitored at three sites from October 1978 to November 1984. Differences among the assemblages and indications of the effects of oil contamination were detected by diversity, correspondence analysis and fits to empirical models. Clearest evidence of the effects were seen at the shallowest upstream site, and were detectable four years after the spill. It was difficult to demonstrate unequivocal effects at the deeper sites against the background of natural variation. It was concluded that by 1984 the fauna had recovered at all sites to a situation similar to that pertaining in October 1978.     

Petroleum contamination and biochemical alterations in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) from bays impacted by the Amoco Cadiz crude oil spill

Following the Amoco Cadiz crude oil spill in March 1978, marine animals in coastal and estuarine environments along the north shore of Brittany, France became heavily contaminated with crude oil. The resident benthic fauna in the oil-impacted area which survived the spill were severely stressed by the pollution. The objectives of our investigation were to document long-term trends in petroleum hydrocarbon contamination and sublethal stress in oysters and plaice from the estuaries, Aber Benoit and Aber Wrac'h. Oysters in the estuaries accumulated aliphatic and aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons to high levels and remained heavily contaminated for the duration of the 27 month investigation. Plaice, on the other hand, retained only low concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in muscle and liver tissue. Nevertheless, the oysters exhibited very few histopathologic and biochemical responses to the oil, whereas the plaice from the estuaries exhibited a variety of sublethal histopathologic and biochemical alterations.     

Evolution des hydrocarbures,des peuplements bacteriens et microphytiques dans les sediments des marais maritimes de l'iie grande pollues par l'amoco cadiz: 1, evolution des hydrocarbures et des bacteries

The evolution of hydrocarbons in sediments was studied from 1978 to 1980 at eight stations in the Ile Grande marshes (Brittany) polluted by the Amoco Cadiz oil spill. Generally, in 1980 (except for one heavily polluted site) the amounts of hydrocarbons were found to be far less important than in 1978 and sometimes biogenic hydrocarbons were found. In the superficial layer of the sediments biodegradation processes were generally important with the preferential degradation of n-alkanes. On the other hand, aromatic hydrocarbons seem not to have been altered after three years. Degradation of percolated hydrocarbons proceeds more slowly than in the surface layer. The number of degrading bacteria decreases when n-alkanes disappear.     

Evolution des hydrocarbures et des populations bactériennes et microphytiques dans les sédiments des marais maritimes de l'ile grande pollués par l'Amoco cadiz: 2—Evolution des peuplements microphytiques

In this work we attempt to estimate the short- and long-term effects of the Amoco Cadiz oil spill on benthic microalgal populations (cyanophytes and diatoms) which, under natural conditions, live on upper layers of ‘schorres’ soils or of ‘slikke’ muds in the Ile Grande salt marsh system (Côtes du Nord, France). These populations were completely destroyed in 1978 in the oil-affected sites. Ubiquitous species settled fairly rapidly on intertidal polluted muds (tidal flat). The chlorophyll a content values reached 100 μg g⁻¹ dry sediment, i.e. 1000 mg m⁻² in 1980. Conversely, the salt marsh soils are still much less densely repopulated 3 years after the Amoco Cadiz grounding—especially when they are infrequently flooded (3 to 40 μg Chl.a g⁻¹, i.e. 40 to 270 mg m⁻²). Some of these soils remain ten times less populated than reference stations.     

A chemical investigation of the transport and fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in littoral and benthic environments: The TSESIS oil spill

The fate of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons discharged into the coastal Baltic Sea environment from the TSESIS oil spill has been studied in the acute and postacute (one year) phases of the spill. Periodic samples of Mytilus edulis (mussels) from eight littoral zone stations and Macoma balthica from nine soft bottom stations were obtained as well as sediment trap samples and surface sediment samples. Glass capillary gas chromatography and gas chromatographic mass spectrometry were used as the analytical tools to determine saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon composition and concentrations in these samples.Sediment trap samples indicated that sizable quantities of chemically and microbially weathered oil were sedimented, and available for benthic uptake shortly after the spill. After initial uptake of sedimented oil (500 to 1000 μ/g dry weight), Macoma populations appear to have begun slow depuration through the first winter after the spill, but TSESIS oil was again introduced to the benthic stations studied during the following summer. Mytilus populations in the region were severely impacted by the oil. Initial depuration of spilled oil during the first month was rapid and nearly complete at all but the most heavily impacted stations one year after the spill. The post-spill depuration of assimilated hydrocarbons was characterised by a relative retention of alkylated dibenzothiophenes and alkylated phenanthrenes compared to their unsubstituted parent compounds and compared with the entire homologous naphthalene series.These data suggest that petroleum hydrocarbons from the TSESIS spill have become a chronic source of degraded saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons to the soft bottom benthic communities. Petroleum hydrocarbons in the benthic environment from this spill appear to reside in the difficulty sampled and mobile flucculent layer at the sediment/water interface and may affect epifaunal communities for an extended period of time.     

Fate and effects of a heavy fuel oil spill on a Georgia salt marsh

Addition of a heavy oil to a Spartina salt marsh in the autumn resulted in high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment and benthic animals. The highest concentrations of phenanthrene, chrysene and fluoranthene in the sediment were 112, 105 and 75 ng/g sediment, respectively. These concentrations rapidly decreased during the 20 week period following the spill. The times for these hydrocarbons to decrease to 50% of their highest values, i.e. half-life, were approximately 100, 70 and 30 days in sediment, mussels and oysters, respectively. Benthic macrofauna species showed three responses to oil addition which included no change, an increase, or a decrease in the population. No changes were noted in populations of fiddler crabs (Uca pugnax), oysters (Crassostrea virginica), and mussels (Modiolus demissus). Mud snails (Nassarius obsoleta) increased in density after the spill due to immigration of adult snails from untreated areas to scavenge on animals killed by the oil. Many of the adult periwinkles (Littorina irrorata) were killed by the oil. In the spring, juvenile periwinkles recolonised to oiled areas as a result of larvae settling.     

Exposure to hydrocarbons 10 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill: evidence from cytochrome P4501A expression and biliary FACs in nearshore demersal fishes

Three biomarkers of hydrocarbon exposure, CYP1A in liver vascular endothelium, liver ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), and biliary fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs), were examined in the nearshore fishes, masked greenling (Hexagrammos octogrammus) and crescent gunnel (Pholis laeta), collected in Prince William Sound, Alaska, 7-10 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS). All biomarkers were elevated in fish collected from sites originally oiled, in comparison to fish from unoiled sites. In 1998, endothelial CYP1A in masked greenling from sites that were heavily oiled in 1989 was significantly higher than in fish collected outside the spill trajectory. In 1999, fishes collected from sites adjacent to intertidal mussel beds containing lingering Exxon Valdez oil had elevated endothelial CYP1A and EROD, and high concentrations of biliary FACs. Fishes from sites near unoiled mussel beds, but within the original spill trajectory, also showed evidence of hydrocarbon exposure, although there were no correlations between sediment petroleum hydrocarbon and any of the biomarkers. Our data show that 10 years after the spill, nearshore fishes within the original spill zone were still exposed to residual EVOS hydrocarbons.     

Evolution à Long terme (1978–1986) des populations d'Amphipodes des sables fins de la pierre noire (baie de morlaix, manche occidentale) aprs̀s la catastrophe de l'Amoco Cadiz

Greatly reduced in 1978 by the Amoco Cadiz oil spill, the amiphipod populations of the fine sand community of Pierre Noire in the Bay of Morlaix have not yet fully recovered 8 years after the pollution. The sublittoral sandi-mud benthic communities in the western part of the English Channel show a discontinuous distribution, occurring in isolated zones which are localized in estuaries and bays. The amphipods, which are characteristic of these communities and lack a pelagic larva, form insular populations. This insular distribution delays their re-introduction to the fine sand community of Pierre Noire. Moreover, the biological and demographic characteristics of the species entail limited periods of recolonisation and increase in population.     

Impact of crude oil on sulphate reduction and methane production in sediments impacted by the Amoco Cadiz oil spill

The activities of methane-producing and sulphate-reducing bacteria in intertidal sediments along the Brittany coast of France were examined in order to determine the effect of the Amoco Cadiz oil spill on sediment microbial processes. Porewater chemistry, methane production, sulphate rate and [2?¹⁴C]-acetate metabolism did not vary significantly between beach, estuary, and marsh sites, oiled or unoiled, after the Amoco Cadiz spill. Oiled sediments contained highly weathered oil of Amoco Cadiz origin, but unoiled comparison sites also contained hydrocarbons from anthropogenic sources. The additions of weathered Amoco Cadiz mousse, fresh and slightly weathered light Arabian crude oil, benzene or toluene to sediments from the oiled and unoiled marsh site did not significantly affect rates of sulphate reduction or methane production. The oxidation of [2?^14C]-acetate to ¹⁴CO₂, however, was significantly decreased when mousse, crude oil, benzene or toluene was added to sediments from the unoiled site. Inhibition seemed to be proportional to the extent of weathering. Sediments recently exposed to Amoco Cadiz crude oil were less affected by a second oiling, suggesting that the indigenous populations may have been replaced by organisms more resistant to oil toxicity. These results suggested that the Amoco Cadiz oil spill did not have major long-term effects on sulphate reduction or methane production.     

Long-term changes in rocky intertidal macrobenthos during the five years after the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hebei Spirit</Emphasis> oil spill,Taean, Korea

The Hebei Spirit oil spill reached the west coast of Taean County, Korea, on December 7, 2007. At that time, this was the largest oil spill that had occurred in the country. The incident devastated local marine ecosystems. In this study, we examined changes in these ecosystems and the recovery pattern on impacted rocky shores. Macrobenthos monitoring of polluted and control sites was performed seasonally from January 2008 through October 2013. At polluted sites, ecological indices increased gradually from 2009, thereby providing evidence of recovery. However, the mean density of macrobenthos was still less than 50% of the level at the control site, indicating that the ecological status of the polluted sites has still not recovered to that which prevailed before the oil spill. Although densities of the most dominant species were higher in the control site than in polluted sites, the densities of Lottia spp. and Odostomia aomori were higher in polluted sites. These two taxa were found in lower numbers at the control site, where they were out-competed by Chthamalus challengeri. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination divided the macrobenthic community structure into three clusters according to differences in the abundance of dominant species over the 6 years after the oil spill. An ANOSIM test detected significant differences between the polluted and control sites. Consistent long-term differences indicate that complete recovery had not occurred during the duration of our study.     

多环芳烃油指纹应用于船舶溢油鉴别研究

溢油种类主要包括船舶燃料油和原油,二者性质的差异决定了鉴别方法也相应不同,寻求适合于船舶溢油的鉴别方法具有重要意义。在使用柱色谱层析方法对样品进行分离前处理的基础上,以气相色谱/质谱方法(GC-MS)为主要分析手段,对溢油样品和可疑船舶溢油源样品的多环芳烃油指纹特征进行对比,并在多环芳烃油指纹参数的基础上进一步进行多环芳烃内组成三角图分布特征与聚类分析研究,成功为珠江口水域某船舶溢油事故追踪到肇事溢油源。结果表明:取自丁船的油样和现场溢油样芳烃油指纹特征最为相近,是此次溢油事故的溢油源。受风化作用后的船舶燃料油中饱和烃类化合物数量稀少,且含量极低,不适合用于溢油鉴别,而多环芳烃类化合物较饱和烃类化合物而言具有含量高、种类丰富的特点,是该类溢油鉴别的主要油指纹依据。使用油指纹参数进行可疑溢油源识别时,充分考虑油品中有机分子所受风化影响程度的不同是风化条件下溢油鉴定的关键。因此,多环芳烃油指纹可以有效应用于船舶燃料油溢油的鉴别。     

大连湾石油污染沉积物中细菌群落结构分析

大连新港"7.16"输油管道爆炸溢油事故发生后,为探究石油污染与细菌群落结构变化之间的关系及在石油生物降解过程中起重要作用的细菌菌群,本研究对大连湾表层沉积物中石油烃含量和细菌宏基因组16SrDNA V3区进行分析。结果表明:溢油初期2010年8月DLW01站位表层沉积物石油烃含量高达1 492mg/kg,符合第三类沉积物质量标准,随着时间推移,2011年4月、2011年7月、2011年12月航次各站位沉积物中石油烃含量基本呈下降趋势,且均符合第一类沉积物质量标准;16S rDNA PCR-DGGE方法分析表明,石油烃含量高的区域优势细菌种类少,反之则较丰富;海洋环境中同一地点的细菌群落能保持一定稳定性;大连湾石油污染沉积物中变形菌门γ-变形菌纲和拟杆菌门一直保持较高的优势度,是在石油生物降解过程中起重要作用的细菌菌群,而厚壁菌门只在石油烃含量低的区域出现;此外,出现的对污染物敏感的嗜冷杆菌可作为石油污染指示生物进行深入研究。     

Impact of the Sea Empress oil spill on lysosomal stability in mussel blood cells.

Coastal zones are among the most productive and vulnerable areas on the planet. An example of impact on these fragile environments was shown in the case of the "Sea Empress" oil tanker, which ran aground in the Bristol Channel in 1996, spilling 72,000 tons of "Forties" crude oil. The objective was to investigate the sub-lethal cellular pathology and tissue hydrocarbon contamination in marine mussel populations, 4 months after the initial spill, using the neutral red retention (NRR) assay for lysosomal stability in blood cells. NRR was reduced in mussels, and indicative of cell injury, from the two sites closest to the spill in comparison with more distant and reference sites. Lysosomal stability was inversely correlated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussel tissues. Reduced lysosomal stability has previously been shown to contribute to impaired immunocompetence and to autophagic loss of body tissues. The use of this type of technique is discussed in the context of cost-effective, ecotoxicological tools for Integrated Coastal Zone Management.     

河北黄骅近岸石油污染对海洋生物体内石油烃含量的影响

对河北黄骅沿海1995年2次调查所捕获的鱼、虾、贝类等18种样品的测定结果表明,受测海洋生物均检出石油烃,双壳类生物体内石油烃含量高于甲壳类和鱼类.该海域海洋生物体内石油烃含量水平远低于国内外污染严重的水域.从分析结果看,该海域目前石油污染特点主要以慢性油污染为主.     

Effects of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons on fishes and shellfish: An overview of research in virginia

This paper discusses the following topics related to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon pollution in estuaries: (1) the use of oysters (Crassostrea virginica), hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) and brackish water clams (Rangia cuneata) in residue monitoring; (2) the effects of elevated PAH residues on oyster condition; (3) three years of field studies relating PAH sediment contamination to abnormalities in fishes; and (4) laboratory bioassays for effects and bioconcentration modeling. Oysters, hard clams and Rangia have been shown, from 3 years of field studies, to be good monitors of pollution inputs as one proceeds along salinity gradients from 25‰ to 0·5‰. Effects of increased body burdens of PAHs are shown by a lowering of the oysters' condition index, as measured by lipid levels. Fishes inhabiting the Elizabeth River, VA, which is highly contaminated with PAHs, have abnormalities (cataracts, skin lesions, abnormal fins, etc.). These abnormalities have higher incidence in regions of the river where the sediments are more heavily contaminated. Laboratory studies utilizing contaminated sediments have reproduced some of the abnormalities observed in the field. Bioconcentration of PAHs from sediments has been studied with oysters and hard clams. Oysters generally accumulate three times the body burdens of clams exposed to the same suspensions. A faster depuration rate (k₂) for clams appears to be responsible for the higher equilibrium body burden of oysters.     

Minchinia nelsoni (MSX) infections in the James River seed-oyster area and their expulsion in spring

Spread of a new oyster disease caused by Minchinia nelsoni (MSX) in lower Chesapeake Bay in 1959–1960 threatened Virginia's James River seed area. Infections appeared in the lower half of the seed area in 1960 and 1961, but few oysters died from the disease and infections were eliminated by oysters in April-May the following spring. Distribution of the disease in controlled broadly by low salinities that inhibit development of infections and allow oysters to discharge plasmodia. Penetrations of the seed area occurred in dry and wet years, but mortalities occurred only in 1964 and 1980, both years of low precipitation. Little mortality was caused by transplanting infected seed oysters to other rivers because only low-salinity grounds were planted after 1959–1960 when severe mortalities occurred in areas of high salinities. In most years, infections were minimal in the seed area and other estuaries where salinities do not exceed 15–20‰ in late summer and fall. Salinities <10‰ prevailed in most of the seed area when oysters expelled the pathogen in early spring.     

Detection of the water-soluble fraction of crude oil by the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

The ability of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, to detect petroleum hydrocarbons was measured with behavioural techniques. When presented with a water-soluble fraction of Prudhoe Bay crude oil, blue crabs abruptly changed antennular orientation, began rhythmic beating of the maxillipedal flagellae, and increased antennular flicking rate. The threshold concentration at which 50% of the crabs detected the water-soluble fraction was 2 × 10^?6 mg/litre. The blue crab apparently can readily detect petroleum hydrocarbons at concentrations found in chronically polluted areas as well as oil spill situations.     

Evidence for exposure of fish to oil spilled into the Columbia river

On March 19, 1984, more than 170000 gallons of oil were spilled into the Columbia River. We had recently developed analytical methods for estimating the exposure of fish to aromatic compounds by measuring the concentrations of metabolites of these contaminants in fish bile. The oil spill provided an opportunity to field test our methods in assessing the exposure of fish to petroleum aromatic compounds from the spilled oil. Our findings indicated that, within 5 days after the spill, mean concentrations of metabolites of aromatic compounds in the bile of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) captured 57 miles downstream from the spill were significantly higher than those of sturgeon caught upriver.     

Marine sponges as bioindicators of oil and combustion derived PAH in coastal waters

The present study evaluates the potential of Hymeniacidon heliophila as bioindicator of PAH contamination. For this, concentration of 33 PAH was determined in organisms from sites with different contamination level including the heavily polluted Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, and less impacted coastal areas. PAH concentration and typology were determined in sponges collected from different depths and in two different seasons. The brown mussel broadly studied as bioindicator was also sampled from the same sites for comparison. Both species provided similar information on total PAH concentration which is related to site contamination level. Sponges, however, revealed slight tendency to accumulation of combustion-derived PAH in relation to petrogenic compounds. Differences in PAH typology between species may derive from the interspecific variation in particle size ingestion. Different hydrocarbon typologies were observed in sponges from dry and wet season and PAH concentration varied with depth. H. heliophila may be used as an alternative approach to investigate the presence and sources of PAH in estuarine areas.     

Relationship between hydrocarbons and bacterial activity in mediterranean sediments: Part 2—hydrocarbon degrading activity of bacteria from sediments

In marine sediments from the Mediterranean coast polluted by oil spills (Etang de Berre) high bacterial activity is responsible for self-purification, samples collected from these areas showing a bacterial density several orders of magnitude higher than samples from non-polluted areas (Isle des Embiez). Between 60 and 80 % of the heterotrophic bacteria in the polluted areas are hydrocarbon-degrading, compared with 0.01 % in the non-polluted area.Several strains of hydrocarbon utilisers were isolated, a mixture of strains from each biotope was taken to represent a ‘biotope population’ and their activity towards different types of hydrocarbons (n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatics) was determined.With ammonia as the nitrogen source the ‘biotope population’ from the polluted area degraded hydrocarbons much more readily than the ‘biotope population’ from the non-polluted area. With nitrate as the nitrogen source the degradation was much reduced, and, for some hydrocarbons, ceased in both ‘populations’.Individual hydrocarbons encouraged the growth of individual strains in the ‘biotope population’. In natural mixtures of hydrocarbons all strains grew well and degraded aliphatics. There was a good correlation between the respiratory activity of the ‘biotope population’ and the ability of the ‘population’ to utilise hydrocarbons for growth.