Toxicity of three oils to bivalve gametes and larvae

Water soluble extracts of three crude oils, Kuwait, Nigerian and Prudhoe Bay have been tested using the sperm and eggs of two marine bivalves. Fertilization is depressed and developmental abnormalities sometimes appear after exposure to these toxins. The spermatozoa, in particular, are very sensitive to the water-soluble fractions of these oils. Nigerian crude is particularly toxic.