title: Toxicity evaluation of diethylene glycol and its combined effects with produced waters of off-shore gas platforms in the Adriatic Sea (Italy): bioassays with marine/estuarine species.
abstract: Diethylene glycol (DEG) is commonly used to dehydrate natural gas in off-shore extraction plants and to prevent formation of gas hydrates. It may be released into the sea accidentally or in discharged produced waters (PWs). PWs samples from off-shore gas platforms in the Adriatic Sea (Italy) have been used in this study. The objectives of the study were: a) to evaluate the toxicity of DEG for marine organisms; b) to evaluate if a high DEG content in PWs may alter their toxicity; c) to verify whether the DEG threshold concentration established by the Italian legislation (3.5 g/l) for PWs discharged at sea is safe for marine environment. Ten different species (Vibrio fischeri, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Brachionus plicatilis, Artemia franciscana, Tigropus fulvus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Crassostrea gigas, Tapes philippinarum and Dicentrarchus labrax) have been exposed to DEG; four of these species were also exposed to PWs in combination with DEG. The results showed that: a) DEG is not toxic at levels normally detected in Adriatic PWs; b) DEG in combination with PW showed mainly additive or synergistic effects; c) short-term bioassays showed that the DEG limit of 3.5 g/l could be acceptable.
authors.affiliation: ISPRA - Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, via di Casalotti, 300 - 00166 Rome, Italy. andrea.tornambe@isprambiente.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tornambè
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manfra
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Faraponova
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Onorati
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Savorelli
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Virno Lamberti
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magaletti
mesh_terms: D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects; D001492:Bass / Q000378:metabolism; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000187:drug effects; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000187:drug effects; D033342:Copepoda / Q000187:drug effects; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000187:drug effects; D017377:Diatoms / Q000187:drug effects; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D007558:Italy; D049878:Mytilus / Q000187:drug effects; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D012403:Rotifera / Q000187:drug effects; D013045:Species Specificity; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000592:standards / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C013484:diethylene glycol