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Effects of spiked exposure to an oil dispersant on the early life stages of four marine species
Author(s) -
Singer Michael M.,
Smalheer Deborah L.,
Tjeerdema Ronald S.,
Martin Michael
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620101016
Subject(s) - dispersant , macrocystis pyrifera , kelp , seawater , toxicity , kelp forest , biology , ecotoxicology , acute toxicity , environmental chemistry , crude oil , toxicology , chemistry , botany , ecology , dispersion (optics) , physics , organic chemistry , petroleum engineering , optics , engineering
Spiked exposure, continuous flow toxicity tests using the oil dispersant Corexit 9527® were performed during the early life stages of four California marine species. Test chambers containing sensitive life stages of the giant kelp ( Macrocystis pyrifera ), the red abalone ( Haliotis rufescens ), a kelp forest mysid ( Holmesimysis costata ), and the topsmelt ( Atherinops affinis ) were inoculated with concentrated dispersant, then allowed to flush with clean, filtered seawater Spectrophotometric monitoring of tests showed dispersant levels diminishing to below detection limits within 5 to 6 h or less Results showed Hahotis to be the most sensitive species tested, with Atherinops being least sensitive in terms of no‐observed effect concentration (NOEC) and Holmesimysis being least sensitive in terms of median effect concentration, Macrocystis was intermediate in both measures. When spiked exposure toxicity results were compared to those of previously reported constant‐exposure tests, no consistent conversion factor that might relate spiked‐ and constant‐exposure toxicity data was found.