title: Toxicities of oils, dispersants and dispersed oils to algae and aquatic plants: review and database value to resource sustainability.
abstract: Phytotoxicity results are reviewed for oils, dispersants and dispersed oils. The phytotoxicity database consists largely of results from a patchwork of reactive research conducted after oil spills to marine waters. Toxicity information is available for at least 41 crude oils and 56 dispersants. As many as 107 response parameters have been monitored for 85 species of unicellular and multicellular algae, 28 wetland plants, 13 mangroves and 9 seagrasses. Effect concentrations have varied by as much as six orders of magnitude due to experimental diversity. This diversity restricts phytotoxicity predictions and identification of sensitive species, life stages and response parameters. As a result, evidence-based risk assessments for most aquatic plants and petrochemicals and dispersants are not supported by the current toxicity database. A proactive and experimentally-consistent approach is recommended to provide threshold toxic effect concentrations for sensitive life stages of aquatic plants inhabiting diverse ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 1 Sabine Island Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA. lewis.michael@epa.gov
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pryor
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects; D058086:Microalgae / Q000187:drug effects*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000633:toxicity*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Algae; Dispersants; Mangroves; Oils; Phytotoxicity; Review; Seagrasses; Wetland plants