title: Toxicity of treated bilge water: The need for revised regulatory control.
abstract: Water accumulating in the bottom of ships (bilge water), contains a mixture of oil, detergents and other compounds from on board activities. To evaluate ecological effects of released bilge water the chemical composition and toxicity of treated bilge water from seven passenger ships was analysed. The oil content was below 15mgL-1, the threshold for legal discharge, in all but one ship. Still, significant reductions in feeding and reproduction of Acartia tonsa were found after 48h exposure in dilutions with 2.5-5% of bilge water. Mortality was significant at dilutions of 5-10% in 4 of the 5 bilge water samples. Surfactants were the most significant contributor to the toxicity on copepod vital rates and survival. Toxicity was also tested with Microtox where an EC50was found at dilutions between 4.3% and 52%. The results show that ecological effects might occur also in diluted suspensions of bilge water.
authors.affiliation: University of Gothenburg, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences - Kristineberg, SE-45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden. Electronic address: peter.tiselius@bioenv.gu.se.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tiselius
authors.affiliation: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Kristineberg, SE-45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden. Electronic address: kerstin.magnusson@ivl.se.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Magnusson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D033342:Copepoda / Q000187:drug effects*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012767:Ships / Q000592:standards; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D013548:Sweden; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Bilge water; Copepods; Microtox; Oil pollution; Surfactants; Toxicity