Abstract
Crude oil impact studies have largely been limited to marine setting and it hampers the understanding and predictability pertaining to freshwater environments following contamination episodes. Growth and erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities (ENA) were followed in freshwater fish Oreochromis niloticus experimentally exposed to crude oil (Arabian light) dispersed in water. Study comprised of a control (no crude oil in water), and two experimental groups with 5 µL/L and 25 µL/L crude oil dispersed in water (5 ppm and 25 ppm respectively), and involved continuous exposure of fish (35 fish/tank in triplicate) with static renewal over a 90-day period. Growth was estimated serially at 18-day intervals (n=40-60). Both exposure groups reduced (p O. niloticus juveniles in freshwater environment.
Highlights
Crude oil contamination adversely affects health of aquatic ecosystems
Specific growth rates estimated for weight and length changes over 90 day period were lower in both exposed groups as compared to respective control (Table 3)
This paper addresses the areas of finfish growth and cytogenetic toxicity in a model freshwater fish species upon continuous exposure to crude oil in water over 90 days
Summary
Crude oil contamination adversely affects health of aquatic ecosystems. It is known that few millions of tonnes of crude oil enter maritime environment each year due to events such as natural seepages, tanker accidents and production water discharge at oil rigs. Contamination spreads to sediment and marine biota, and may drift into. Sci. 21(2) (2016): 113-124 inland waters as oil spills reach subtidal zones, intertidal areas and further into estuaries (Lee and Page 1997; Sammarco et al 2013; Fry and Anderson 2014). Rivers and connected lakes remain vulnerable when crude oil mining or transportation takes place in river basins (Kochhann et al 2015), while any other freshwater systems may be at risk because of accidental leakage or spills owing to human error
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