Species´ sensitivities to acute oil exposure - are arctic and temperate dwelling organisms similar or different? - Biannual report 2009

Biannual report VISTA 2009

Project title:                                  Species’ sensitivities to acute oil exposure
Project director:                            Carroll, JoLynn, Akvaplan-niva
Post-doc/ scholar:                         Olsen, Gro Harlaug
Project duration:                           28.04.08 - 27.04.10
Technical contact person in Statoil:Smit,Mathijs 
Division head:                              Mostad, Helle Brit
Project number:                           6154

Object

In this project we focus on a comparison of arctic species sensitivities to oil-related compounds. The goal is to obtain LC50 values for arctic species for calculation of a species sensitivity distribution curve (SSD). SSD curves are used in risk assessment procedures, mainly in the environmental impact factor (EIF model), to predict risk associated with petroleum activities.  LC50 test (chemical concentration that kills 50% of test animals) has been performed on numerous temperate species. However, very little information exists for Arctic species. As the oil industry is moving towards the Arctic, data on arctic species are needed. We are performing LC50 test on a variety of arctic species to obtain a SSD curve that can be used in risk assessment procedures for the Arctic. We have performed LC50 experiments using the PAH 2-methyl naphthalene. The remaining experiments will be conducted this fall (2009) at University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and at the Kings Bay Marine laboratory in Ny-Ålesund. Experiments will be performed on the following species: Pandalus borealis, Sea urchins, Balanus sp and Gammarus wiliktzkii.

Status:
To choose test chemical, we have performed pre-experiments using different PAHs. Mortality was not reached using anthracene, but successful experiments were conducted using 2-metyl naphthalene. All experiments have therefore been performed with 2-methyl naphthalene. LC50 time-relationships have been calculated for the following Arctic species:
Acemaea tessulata, Littorina littorea, Margarites helicicna and Gammarus sp. These experiments show that 100 % lethality can be reached in Arctic species using 2-metyl naphthalene. For A. tessulata LC50 value was 0.7 mg/L  and for L. littorea LC50 was 3.0 mg/L, indicating that A. tessulata are more sensitive to 2-methyl naphthalene than L.littorea. Amphipods were the most sensitive to 2-methyl naphtahlenes (preliminary data). These data together with results from the experiments this fall will be used to calculate an Arctic SSD curve. We do not have deviation from targets in this project.


Publications:

Olsen, G. H., Camus, L., Smit, M., Jæger, I., Carroll J. (2009). Arctic species sensitivity distribution to oil-related compounds. 15th International symposium on pollutant responses in marine organisms; 129-130.

Camus, L., Jensen, L.K., Jæger, I., Nahrgang, J., Olsen, G. H. (2009). Oil and gas development in the Arctic-what do we know about biological effects of crude oil on marine arctic animals? 15th International symposium on pollutant responses in marine organisms;47-48.

Olsen et al. in prep: Arctic species sensitivities to oil-related compounds.

Olsen et al. in prep: Arctic Ecotoxicological Studies: A Review