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Hydrocarbon humps in the marine environment: Synthesis, toxicity, and aqueous solubility of monoaromatic compounds
Author(s) -
Smith Emma,
Wraige Emma,
Donkin Peter,
Rowland Steven
Publication year - 2001
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.5620201105
Subject(s) - chemistry , mytilus , hydrocarbon , environmental chemistry , solubility , seawater , aqueous solution , aromatic hydrocarbon , organic chemistry , pollutant , ecology , biology
A recent study has shown that some monoaromatic hydrocarbon constituents of the so‐called unresolved complex mixtures (UCMs) or gas chromatographic humps, which are widespread in the marine environment, are toxic to the mussel Mytilus edulis . Here we describe the synthesis and toxicological assessment of 6‐cyclohexyltetralin, 7‐cyclohexyl‐1‐methyltetralin, and 7‐cyclohexyl‐1‐ n ‐propyltetralin, which contain structural features consistent with some monoaromatic UCM hydrocarbons. The compounds were all toxic to M. edulis when measured in the assay used previously to determine the toxicity of a monoaromatic UCM. The aqueous solubilities of the hydrocarbons in fresh and seawater at different temperatures were determined and found to range from about 10 to 110 μg/L (10–60 μg/L in seawater at 15°C). Further studies of the aromatic UCM composition of a wide range of oils and oil residues are required to determine whether such alkylated compounds as 7‐cyclohexyl‐1‐methyltetralin and 7‐cyclohexyl‐1‐ n ‐propyltetralin or their analogues are widespread in oils. If these aromatic compounds prove to be important in UCMs, toxicity experiments should be conducted with other biological end points and monitoring studies of pollutant hydrocarbons should probably include measurement of aromatic UCM hydrocarbons.