Abstract
Applying dispersants to spilled crude oil results in an oil in water dispersion of microscopic oil droplets that soon dilutes to levels below 1 ppm oil. These levels are substantially below those known to induce acute toxicity in 96-hour tests. We show here that oil hydrocarbons are biodegraded very rapidly in such situations (50% loss in 4 days in this experiment), and that no increase in acute toxicity to mysids (Americamysis bahia) is seen during this biodegradation, or over the following 20 days as the oil is further degraded (78% loss of detectable hydrocarbons in this experiment).
Highlights
Dispersants are important tools in oil spill response because they facilitate oil dispersion, thereby protecting birds and other animals
We show here that oil hydrocarbons are biodegraded very rapidly in such situations (50% loss in 4 days in this experiment), and that no increase in acute toxicity to mysids (Americamysis bahia) is seen during this biodegradation, or over the following 20 days as the oil is further degraded (78% loss of detectable hydrocarbons in this experiment)
We show here that 3 ppm dispersed oil is not acutely toxic to mysid shrimps, a sensitive species routinely used for environmental toxicity testing [10] [11], and that no acute toxicity becomes apparent as biodegradation proceeds at those concentrations
Summary
Dispersants are important tools in oil spill response because they facilitate oil dispersion, thereby protecting birds and other animals. They dramatically stimulate biodegradation, thereby minimizing the residency of spilled oil in the environment [1] [2]. Dispersed crude oil is measurably toxic at the concentrations found immediately after dispersion [3] [4] LC50 values, 48 - 96 hour exposure, of 2 - 10 ppm [4], but these levels do not persist in the sea because within hours the dispersed plume dilutes to the sub ppm level [5] [6]. We show here that 3 ppm dispersed oil is not acutely toxic to mysid shrimps, a sensitive species routinely used for environmental toxicity testing [10] [11], and that no acute toxicity becomes apparent as biodegradation proceeds at those concentrations
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