The impact of oil-derived products on the behaviour and biochemistry of the eleven-armed asteroid Coscinasterias muricata (Echinodermata).
The present study examines the impact of exposure to oil-derived products on the behaviour and physiology of the Australian 11-armed asteroid Coscinasterias muricata. Asteroids were exposed to dilutions of water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of Bass Strait stabilised crude oil, dispersed oil or burnt oil (n = 8) for 4 days whereby, prey-localisation behaviour was examined immediately after exposure, and following 2, 7, and 14 days depuration in clean seawater. The prey-localisation behaviour of asteroids exposed to WAF and dispersed oil was significantly affected though recovery was apparent following 7 and 14 days depuration, respectively. In contrast, there was no significant change in the prey-localisation behaviour of asteroids exposed to burnt oil. Behavioural impacts were correlated with the total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations (C6-C36) in each exposure solution, WAF (1.8 mg l(-1)), dispersed oil (3.5 mg l(-1)) and burnt oil (1.14 mg l(-1), respectively. The total microsomal cytochrome P450 content was significantly lower (P(Dunnett test) < 0.01) in asteroids exposed to dispersed oil than in any other asteroids, whilst asteroid alkaline phosphatase activity was not significantly affected (P(ANOVA) = 0.11). This study further documents the deleterious impact of dispersed oil to marine organisms and supports further research in the area of in situ burning as a less damaging oil spill response measure towards benthic macro-invertebrates.
Georgiades
E T
ET
Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Biology, RMIT-University, Bundoora West Campus, Australia.
Holdway
D A
DA
Brennan
S E
SE
Butty
J S
JS
Temara
A
A
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000494:pharmacology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D009068:Movement; D010578:Petroleum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D013215:Starfish; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*
D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase