Effects of sediment amended with Deepwater Horizon incident slick oil on the infaunal amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus.
Crude oil released from the Deepwater Horizon disaster into the Gulf of Mexico posed potential impacts to infaunal invertebrates inhabiting near shore habitats. The effects of sediment-associated weathered slick oil on the amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus was assessed using 28-d exposures to total PAH sediment concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 24mg/kg (sum of 50 PAHs or tPAH50). Survival and growth rate were significantly decreased in the 2.6, 11.4 and 24.2mg/kg treatments, but only growth in 5.5mg/kg. Offspring production was dramatically decreased but was variable and significantly different only for 24.2mg/kg. The concentrations associated with 20% decreases relative to reference were 1.05 (95% CI=0-2.89) mg/kg tPAH50 for growth rate and 0.632 (95% CI=0.11-2.15) mg/kg tPAH50 for offspring production. The concentrations of PAHs affecting amphipods are within the range of concentrations measured in marsh areas reportedly impacted by DWH oil after its release.
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA. Electronic address: guilherme.lotufo@usace.army.mil.
Guilherme R
GR
Lotufo
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA.
J Daniel
JD
Farrar
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA.
James M
JM
Biedenbach
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA.
Jennifer G
JG
Laird
Abt Associates, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.
Michelle O
MO
Krasnec
Abt Associates, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.
Claire
C
Lay
Abt Associates, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.
Jeffrey M
JM
Morris
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Assessment & Restoration Division, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA.
Michel L
ML
Gielazyn
D033304:Amphipoda; D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D010578:Petroleum; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Amphipod; Chronic toxicity; Deepwater Horizon; Gulf of Mexico; Oil spill; Sediment