Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in the waters of Prince William Sound after the Exxon Valdez oil spill: 1989–2005

2007 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Boehm ◽  
Jerry M. Neff ◽  
David S. Page
Keyword(s):  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbon ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Prince William Sound ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic

Oil Weathering and Sediment Toxicity in Shorelines Affected by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 (1) ◽  
pp. 551-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Page ◽  
Edward S. Gilfillan ◽  
William A. Stubblefield ◽  
Paul D. Boehm ◽  
Keith R. Parker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Sediment Toxicity ◽  
Sediment Quality ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Prince William Sound ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽  
Field Samples ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic

ABSTRACT Beginning in 1989, scientists supported by ExxonMobil conducted a number of scientific studies to assess the fate and effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on shorelines in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska. The 1990, 1991, and 1993 field programs included concurrent sediment sampling for hydrocarbon chemistry and sediment toxicity. This sediment quality assessment found that spill residues on the oiled shorelines rapidly lost toxicity through weathering. The relative amounts of naphthalenes and chrysenes in the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the sediments were found to be good indicators of weathering and toxicity. Using a standard sediment amphipod bioassay on the field samples increased mortality above background was found at exposure levels above approximately 2,600 ng/g total PAH (TPAH) for oil that had weathered a year or more. For samples with TPAH > 2,600 ng/g, fractions of naphthalenes (R = +0.76) and chrysenes (R = −0.63) significantly correlated with amphipod mortality where samples with high mortalities (> 80%) were dominated by relatively high fractions of naphthalenes (median = 0.26), and the low mortality category (< 30%) was dominated by relatively high fractions of chrysenes (median = 0.24). The amphipod mortality data fit significantly to a logistic model. Estimated LC10 and LC50 values were approximately 4,100 and 10,750 ng/g TPAH, respectively. Sediment grain size and total organic carbon were also found to contribute to increased amphipod mortality and were covariates in the data analysis. As petroleum weathers through exposure to the environment and lighter hydrocarbon fractions are lost, the results of this study show that the Exxon Valdez spill oil rapidly lost toxicity as the fractions of chrysenes increased and fractions of naphthalenes decreased.

Monitoring Recovery of Prince William Sound, Alaska, Following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Bioavailability of PAH in Offshore Sediments

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (1) ◽  
pp. 299-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry M. Neff ◽  
Paul D. Boehm ◽  
Roy Kropp ◽  
William A. Stubblefield ◽  
David S. Page
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Marine Fish ◽  
Sediment Accumulation ◽  
Prince William Sound ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Natural Oil ◽  
Mixed Function Oxygenase ◽  
Offshore Sediments

ABSTRACT We determined the bioavailability to sediment-dwelling marine worms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with offshore sediments from 3 spill path and 3 non-spill path areas of Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska, 12 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The PAHs in sediments from 4 sites sampled in 2001 were primarily from a regional natural petrogenic background derived from organic-rich shales and natural oil seeps associated with sources southeast of PWS. Pyrogenic (combustion) PAHs, primarily from former human and industrial activities, were more abundant than petrogenic PAHs in nearshore sediments from 2 bays associated with past and current human activities. We performed sediment bioaccumulation tests with the six sediments and polychaete worms according to standard EPA protocols. All the PAHs had a very low bioavailability, as indicated by low values for biota/sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) in the worms. Mean BSAFs for total PAHs (sum of 41 analyte groups) ranged from 0.002 to 0.009. The worms exposed to spill path and non-spill path sediments bioaccumulated small amounts of 4- and 5-ring PAHs, particularly fluoranthene and pyrene; these higher molecular weight PAHs are responsible for induction of mixed function oxygenase (MFO) activity in marine fish, birds, and mammals. These results may help to explain in part why fish from throughout PWS exhibit induced MFO activity. Elevated levels of MFO activity cannot be used as evidence of recent exposure by marine fish, birds, and mammals in the sound to Exxon Valdez oil.

scholarly journals Nine Years After the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Effects on Marine Bird Populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska

The Condor ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 723-737 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Irons ◽  
Steven J. Kendall ◽  
Wallace P. Erickson ◽  
Lyman L. McDonald ◽  
Brian K. Lance
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Prince William Sound ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
Marine Bird ◽  
Marine Birds ◽  
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽  
Positive Effects

Abstract We compared post Exxon Valdez oil-spill densities of marine birds in Prince William Sound from 1989–1991, 1993, 1996, and 1998 to pre-spill densities from 1984–1985. Post-spill densities of several species of marine birds were lower than expected in the oiled area of Prince William Sound when compared to densities in the unoiled area. These negative effects continued through 1998 for five taxa: cormorants, goldeneyes, mergansers, Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba), and murres. Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) and Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) exhibited negative effects in 1990 and 1991. Loons showed a weak negative effect in 1993. Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) showed relative decreases in 1989, 1996, and 1998 which may have been caused by shifts in foraging distribution rather than declines in populations. Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) showed positive effects in most post-spill years. Murrelets and terns showed relative increases in 1993, 1996, and 1998. Generally, taxa that dive for their food were negatively affected, whereas taxa that feed at the surface were not. Effects for some taxa were dependent upon the spatial scale at which they were analyzed. Movements of birds and the mosaic pattern of oiling reduced our ability to detect oil-spill effects, therefore our results may be conservative. Several marine bird species were negatively affected at the population level and have not recovered to pre-spill levels nine years after the oil spill. The reason for lack of recovery may be related to persistent oil remaining in the environment and reduced forage fish abundance.

Comparative Toxicities of Polar and Non-Polar Organic Fractions From Sediments Affected By the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 137-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Wolfe ◽  
K. John Scott ◽  
John R. Clayton ◽  
John Lunz ◽  
James R. Payne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Prince William Sound ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽  
Organic Fractions

Changes and variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in fish, barnacles and crabs following an oil spill in a mangrove of Guanabara Bay, Southeast Brazil

2010 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 1359-1363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abílio Soares-Gomes ◽  
Roberta L. Neves ◽  
Ricardo Aucélio ◽  
Paulo H. Van Der Ven ◽  
Fábio B. Pitombo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbon ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Guanabara Bay ◽  
Southeast Brazil ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic

scholarly journals Bald Eagles in Alaska Following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-233
Author(s):  
Marjorie J. Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Prince William Sound ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
Bald Eagles ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽  
Rehabilitation Programs ◽  
Kodiak Island ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Despite initial concerns about the impact of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on bald eagles in Prince William Sound, accumulating evidence indicates that the area's eagle population is doing well. This paper presents and discusses the 1989 data collected during the Prince William Sound and Kodiak Island Eagle Capture and Short-term Rehabilitation Programs, as well as 1990 data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's operational field surveys.

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