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Accumulation and effects of aluminum smelter—generated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on soft—bottom invertebrates and fish
Author(s) -
NÆae, Kristoffer,
Hylland Ketil,
Oug Eivind,
Föourlin Lars,
Ericson Gunilla
Publication year - 1999
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.5620181013
Subject(s) - fjord , environmental chemistry , biota , benthic zone , invertebrate , bioaccumulation , environmental science , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon , biomonitoring , biomarker , fish <actinopterygii> , contamination , ecology , chemistry , oceanography , fishery , biology , geology , biochemistry
An integrated study involving measurements of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in bottom sediments, assessments of resident soft—bottom communities, the accumulation of PAHs in soft—bottom invertebrates, and biomarker responses in invertebrates and fish was conducted to assess the impact of an aluminum reduction plant in a Norwegian fjord. The fjord sediments were heavily contaminated by PAHs in the inner reaches near the aluminum smelter, where concentrations were well above levels elsewhere reported to induce biological effects. Nevertheless, the PAH contamination in the fjord did not seem to have severe effects on the benthic biota. This conclusion can be drawn from the soft—bottom communities as well as from biomarker analyses. Presumably, contaminant speciation is important for explaining the restricted biological effects. The results support the assumption that PAHs associated with soot—like structures have limited bioavailability. They also point to the need to link various single—species approaches to measurements of effects on higher levels of organization and with an understanding of the speciation of the chemical contaminant.