Toxicity of creosote water-soluble fractions generated from contaminated sediments to the bay mysid.
Creosote, a globally used wood preservative, is a complex mixture consisting primarily of aromatic organic compounds (ACs). Creosote-derived ACs can persist for decades in aquatic sediments. Natural and anthropogenic activities may result in dissolution and resuspension of sediment-associated ACs. These processes were mimicked by generating a water-soluble fraction (WSF) from creosote-contaminated sediment (ERS) collected from a polluted site. The epibenthic mysid Mysidopsis bahia was exposed to five sublethal concentrations of WSF for 7 days. The WSF significantly decreased dry weight gain and proportion of gravid females (EC50=15 microgram/liter total identified ACs). Chemical analysis indicated that high-molecular-weight ACs (more than three aromatic rings) dominated the ERS, but were undetected in the WSF. Low-molecular-weight ACs (fewer than three aromatic rings) dominated the WSF. Compositional differences can thus result from fractionation processes and affect environmental fate and toxicity of the mixture.
School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, USA.
T V
TV
Padma
R C
RC
Hale
M H
MH
Roberts
R N
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Lipcius
D000818:Animals; D003407:Creosote / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D003445:Crustacea / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D018978:Molting / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003407:Creosote