title: Severe Coal Tar Sealcoat Runoff Toxicity to Fish Is Prevented by Bioretention Filtration.
abstract: Coal tar sealcoats applied to asphalt surfaces in North America, east of the Continental Divide, are enriched in petroleum-derived compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The release of PAHs and other chemicals from sealcoat has the potential to contaminate nearby water bodies, reducing the resiliency of aquatic communities. Despite this, relatively little is known about the aquatic toxicology of sealcoat-derived contaminants. We assessed the impacts of stormwater runoff from sealcoated asphalt on juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and embryo-larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). We furthermore evaluated the effectiveness of bioretention as a green stormwater method to remove PAHs and reduce lethal and sublethal toxicity in both species. We applied a coal tar sealcoat to conventional asphalt and collected runoff from simulated rainfall events up to 7 months postapplication. Whereas sealcoat runoff was more acutely lethal to salmon, a spectrum of cardiovascular abnormalities was consistently evident in early life stage zebrafish. Soil bioretention effectively reduced PAH concentrations by an order of magnitude, prevented mortality in juvenile salmon, and significantly reduced cardiotoxicity in zebrafish. Our findings show that inexpensive bioretention methods can markedly improve stormwater quality and protect fish health.
authors.affiliation: Washington State University , Puyallup Research and Extension Center, 2606 W. Pioneer Avenue, Puyallup, Washington 98371, United States.
authors.forename: Jenifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.affiliation: National Research Council Associates Program, under contract to Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Boulevard E., Seattle, Washington 98112, United States.
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Edmunds
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Fisheries Science Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Boulevard E., Seattle, Washington 98112, United States.
authors.forename: Bernadita F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Anulacion
authors.affiliation: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Fish and Wildlife Office, 510 Desmond Drive S.E., Lacey, Washington 98503, United States.
authors.forename: Jay W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Fisheries Science Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Boulevard E., Seattle, Washington 98112, United States.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Incardona
authors.affiliation: Washington State University , Puyallup Research and Extension Center, 2606 W. Pioneer Avenue, Puyallup, Washington 98371, United States.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Fisheries Science Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Boulevard E., Seattle, Washington 98112, United States.
authors.forename: Nathaniel L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Scholz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000633:toxicity*; D005374:Filtration; D005399:Fishes; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity; D009656:North America; D017684:Oncorhynchus kisutch; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity; D012498:Sanitary Engineering; D012987:Soil; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D014876:Water Pollution; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003033:Coal Tar; C006647:asphalt