Comparative toxicity assessment of in situ burn residues to initial and dispersed heavy fuel oil using zebrafish embryos
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Comparative toxicity assessment of in situ burn residues to initial and dispersed heavy fuel oil using zebrafish embryos as test organisms Sarah Johann 1,2 & Mira Goßen 1,2 & Leonie Mueller 1 & Valentina Selja 3 & Kim Gustavson 4 & Janne Fritt-Rasmussen 4 & Susse Wegeberg 4 & Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski 5 & Bjørn Munro Jenssen 5 & Henner Hollert 1 & Thomas-Benjamin Seiler 6 Received: 5 May 2020 / Accepted: 17 November 2020 # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract In situ burning (ISB) is discussed to be one of the most suitable response strategies to combat oil spills in extreme conditions. After burning, a highly viscous and sticky residue is left and may over time pose a risk of exposing aquatic biota to toxic oil compounds. Scientific information about the impact of burn residues on the environment is scarce. In this context, a comprehensive ISB field experiment with approx. 1000L IFO 180 was conducted in a fjord in Greenland. The present study investigated the toxicity of collected ISB residues to early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model for potentially exposed pelagic organisms. The toxicity of ISB residues on zebrafish embryos was compared with the toxicity of the initial (unweathered) IFO 180 and chemically dispersed IFO 180. Morphological malformations, hatching success, swimming behavior, and biomarkers for exposure (CYP1A activity, AChE inhibition) were evaluated in order to cover the toxic response on different biological organization levels. Across all endpoints, ISB residues did not induce greater toxicity in zebrafish embryos compared with the initial oil. The application of a chemical dispersant increased the acute toxicity most likely due to a higher bioavailability of dissolved and particulate oil components. The results provide insight into the adverse effects of ISB residues on sensitive life stages of fish in comparison with chemical dispersant application. Keywords AChE . Chemical dispersant . Embryo toxicity . EROD . In situ burning . Swimming behavior
Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues
Introduction
* Sarah Johann [email protected]
In case of an oil spill, the most effective response technologies have to be selected to minimize direct or indirect adverse effects on the environment. The selection of oil spill response measures, such as chemical dispersion, in situ burning (ISB), or oil recovery, strongly depends on operational parameters such as the physical-chemical properties of the spilled oil and the weather conditions on site (Ekperusi et al. 2019). Unique oil characteristics such as viscosity, density, pour point, and weathering status influence the oil fate and behavior as a function of temperature, wind conditions, and ice coverage (Spaulding 2017). Furthermore, the presence of sensitive organisms and the toxicity of treated as well as untreated oil are important information to evaluate the potential environmental impact by the oil itself and the side effects of applied oil spill response technologies (Wegeberg et al. 2017). Overall, a high efficien
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