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.
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School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, USA.
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Roberts
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Lipcius
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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