title: Chemical dispersants used in the Gulf of Mexico oil crisis are cytotoxic and genotoxic to sperm whale skin cells.
abstract: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico drew attention to the need for toxicological studies of chemical dispersants. We are still learning the effects these spills had on wildlife. Little is known about the toxicity of these substances in marine mammals. The objective of this study was to determine the toxicity of the two dispersants (Corexit 9500 and 9527). Corexit 9500 and 9527 were both cytotoxic to sperm whale skin fibroblasts. Corexit 9527 was less cytotoxic than 9500. S9 mediated metabolism did not alter cytotoxicity of either dispersant. Both dispersants were genotoxic to sperm whale skin fibroblasts; S9 mediated metabolism increased Corexit 9527 genotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Portland, ME 04103, USA. Electronic address: catherine.wise@maine.edu.
authors.forename: Catherine F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.affiliation: Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Portland, ME 04103, USA. Electronic address: jamestwise@gmail.com.
authors.forename: James T F
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.affiliation: Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Department of Applied Medical Science, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04103, USA. Electronic address: sandra.wise@maine.edu.
authors.forename: Sandra S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.affiliation: Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Department of Applied Medical Science, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04103, USA. Electronic address: dougt@usm.maine.edu.
authors.forename: W Douglas
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Portland, ME 04103, USA. Electronic address: wise19@purdue.edu.
authors.forename: John Pierce
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.affiliation: Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Portland, ME 04103, USA; Department of Applied Medical Science, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04103, USA. Electronic address: john.wise@usm.maine.edu.
authors.forename: John Pierce
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wise
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D060851:Gulf of America; D008055:Lipids / Q000633:toxicity*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D050661:Sperm Whale; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C470995:corexit 9500; C021984:corexit 9527
keywords: Chemical dispersant; Corexit; Deepwater Horizon oil spill; Genotoxicity; Gulf of Mexico; Sperm whale