Sensitivity of walleye (Sander vitreus) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) early-life stages to naphthenic acid fraction components extracted from fresh oil sands process-affected waters.
Unconventional oil production in Alberta's oil sands generates oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), which contains toxic constituents such as naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs). There have been few studies examining effects of NAFC exposure over long periods of early-life stage development in fish. Here we examined the effects of NAFCs extracted from OSPW to embryo-larval fathead minnow, exposed for 21 days. We compared the sensitivity of fathead minnow to walleye reared to 7 days post-hatch (18-20 days total). EC50s for hatch success, including deformities, and total survival were lower for walleye (10-11 mg/L) than fathead minnow (22-25 mg/L), with little post-hatch mortality observed in either species. NAFC exposure affected larval growth at concentrations below the EC50 in fathead minnow (total mass IC10 14-17 mg/L). These data contribute to an understanding of the developmental stages targeted by oil sands NAFCs, as well as their toxicity in a greater range of relevant taxa.
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
Julie R
JR
Marentette
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
Richard A
RA
Frank
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
L Mark
LM
Hewitt
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
Patricia L
PL
Gillis
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
Adrienne J
AJ
Bartlett
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
Pamela
P
Brunswick
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
Dayue
D
Shang
Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada. Electronic address: Joanne.Parrott@ec.gc.ca.
Joanne L
JL
Parrott
D000416:Alberta; D000818:Animals; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003530:Cyprinidae; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D010471:Perches; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C046170:naphthenic acid
Acid-extractable organics (AEOs); Deformities; Embryos; Larvae; Survival