title: Environmental risk assessment of alkylphenols from offshore produced water on fish reproduction.
abstract: Concern has been raised over whether environmental release of alkylphenols (AP) in produced water (PW) discharges from the offshore oil industry could impose a risk to the reproduction of fish stocks in the North Sea. An environmental risk assessment (ERA) was performed to determine if environmental exposure to PW APs in North Sea fish populations is likely to be high enough to give effects on reproduction endpoints. The DREAM (Dose related Risk and Effect Assessment Model) software was used in the study and the inputs to the ERA model included PW discharge data, fate information of PW plumes, fish distribution information, as well as uptake and elimination information of PW APs. Toxicodynamic data from effect studies with Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) exposed to APs were used to establish a conservative environmental risk threshold value for AP concentration in seawater. By using the DREAM software to 1) identify the areas of highest potential risk and 2) integrate fish movement and uptake/elimination rates of APs for the chosen areas we found that the environmental exposure of fish to APs from PW is most likely too low to affect reproduction in wild populations of fish in the North Sea. The implications related to risk management of offshore PW and uncertainties in the risk assessment performed are discussed.
authors.affiliation: IRIS-International Research Institute of Stavanger, Mekjarvik 12, N-4070 Randaberg, Norway. jb@iris.no
authors.forename: Jonny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: Lars Petter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Myhre
authors.forename: Rolf C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Sundt
authors.forename: Sonnich
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Knut-Erik
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Tollefsen
authors.forename: Rune
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vabø
authors.forename: Jarle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klungsøyr
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009659:North Sea; D009664:Norway; D010578:Petroleum; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D010578:Petroleum; D010636:Phenols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical