Ultraviolet Radiation Enhances the Toxicity of Deepwater Horizon Oil to Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) Embryos.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in the accidental release of millions barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Photoinduced toxicity following coexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one mechanism by which polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from oil spills may exert toxicity. Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), an important fishery resource, have positively buoyant, transparent eggs. These characteristics may result in mahi-mahi embryos being at particular risk from photoinduced toxicity. The goal of this study was to determine whether exposure to ultraviolet radiation as natural sunlight enhances the toxicity of crude oil to embryonic mahi-mahi. Mahi-mahi embryos were exposed to several dilutions of water accommodated fractions (WAF) from slick oil collected during the 2010 spill and gradations of natural sunlight in a fully factorial design. Here, we report that coexposure to natural sunlight and WAF significantly reduced percent hatch in mahi-mahi embryos. Effect concentrations of PAH in WAF were within the range of surface PAH concentrations reported in the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon spill. These data suggest that laboratory toxicity tests that do not include UV may underestimate the toxicity of oil spills to early lifestage fish species.

[1]  J. Oris,et al.  Photo‐induced toxicity of Deepwater Horizon slick oil to blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) larvae , 2015, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[2]  J. Oris,et al.  Acute photo‐induced toxicity and toxicokinetics of single compounds and mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in zebrafish , 2014, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[3]  N. Scholz,et al.  Acute embryonic or juvenile exposure to Deepwater Horizon crude oil impairs the swimming performance of mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus). , 2014, Environmental science & technology.

[4]  C. Laetz,et al.  Deepwater Horizon crude oil impacts the developing hearts of large predatory pelagic fish , 2014, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[5]  Julie Adams,et al.  Oil and oil dispersant do not cause synergistic toxicity to fish embryos , 2014, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[6]  J. Nyman,et al.  Dispersant and salinity effects on weathering and acute toxicity of South Louisiana crude oil , 2013, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[7]  B. Anderson,et al.  Use of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) to characterize dissolved hydrocarbon fractions of both dispersed and undispersed oil. , 2013, Environmental science. Processes & impacts.

[8]  Carrie A Claytor,et al.  Quantitative risk model for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon photoinduced toxicity in Pacific herring following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. , 2013, Environmental science & technology.

[9]  J. Stieglitz,et al.  Environmentally conditioned, year-round volitional spawning of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in broodstock maturation systems , 2012 .

[10]  Paul A Hsieh,et al.  Review of flow rate estimates of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill , 2011, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[11]  R. Highsmith,et al.  Characterization of subsurface polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at the Deepwater Horizon site , 2010 .

[12]  C. Grimes,et al.  Larval development , distribution , and abundance of common dolphin , Coryphaena hippurus , and pompano dolphin , C . equiselis ( family : CoryphaenidaeJ , in the northern Gulf of Mexico , 2008 .

[13]  D. Mount,et al.  Photoactivated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon toxicity in medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos: Relevance to environmental risk in contaminated sites , 2006, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[14]  Jens C. Streibig,et al.  Bioassay analysis using R , 2005 .

[15]  C. Page,et al.  Comparative toxicity of oil, dispersant, and oil plus dispersant to several marine species , 2004, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[16]  P. Hodson,et al.  Oil dispersant increases PAH uptake by fish exposed to crude oil. , 2004, Ecotoxicology and environmental safety.

[17]  D. Mount,et al.  Photoactivated toxicity in amphipods collected from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon–contaminated sites , 2003, Environmental toxicology and chemistry.

[18]  D. Mount,et al.  Assessing Risks from Photoactivated Toxicity of PAHs to Aquatic Organisms , 2003 .

[19]  J. Short,et al.  Photoenhanced toxicity of weathered Alaska North Slope crude oil to the calanoid copepods Calanus marshallae and Metridia okhotensis. , 2002, Environmental science & technology.

[20]  C. Pollino,et al.  Toxicity testing of crude oil and related compounds using early life stages of the crimson-spotted rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis). , 2002, Ecotoxicology and environmental safety.

[21]  M. Barron,et al.  Potential for photoenhanced toxicity of spilled oil in Prince William Sound and Gulf of Alaska waters. , 2001, Marine pollution bulletin.

[22]  Little,et al.  Photoenhanced toxicity of weathered oil to Mysidopsis bahia. , 2000, Aquatic toxicology.

[23]  G. A. Burton,et al.  Photo-induced toxicity of PAHs to Hyalella azteca and Chironomus tentans: effects of mixtures and behavior. , 1999, Environmental pollution.

[24]  S. Rice,et al.  Sensitivity of fish embryos to weathered crude oil: Part I. Low‐level exposure during incubation causes malformations, genetic damage, and mortality in larval pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) , 1999 .

[25]  P. Garrigues,et al.  Concentrations of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in various marine organisms in relation to those in sediments and to trophic level , 1998 .

[26]  R. Tjeerdema,et al.  Effects of Dispersant Treatment on the Acute Aquatic Toxicity of Petroleum Hydrocarbons , 1998, Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology.

[27]  R. Burgess,et al.  Phototoxicity of individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum to marine invertebrate larvae and juveniles , 1997 .

[28]  R. Ozretich,et al.  Photoinduced Toxicity of Fluoranthene to Seven Marine Benthic Crustaceans , 1997, Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology.

[29]  J. Giesy,et al.  Chronic effects of the photoenhanced toxicity of anthracene on Daphnia magna reproduction , 1989 .

[30]  J. Giesy,et al.  Predictive models for photoinduced acute toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to Daphnia magna, strauss (cladocera, crustacea) , 1987 .

[31]  J. Giesy,et al.  The photo-induced toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to larvae of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) , 1987 .

[32]  J. Giesy,et al.  Photoinduced toxicity of anthracene to juvenile bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque): photoperiod effects and predictive hazard evaluation , 1986 .

[33]  P. Landrum,et al.  Acute mortality of anthracene-contaminated fish exposed to sunlight , 1983 .

[34]  W. J. Richards,et al.  Synopsis of the biological data on Dolphin-Fishes, Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus and Coryphaena equiselis Linnaeus , 1982 .

[35]  R M Atlas,et al.  Effects of temperature and crude oil composition on petroleum biodegradation. , 1975, Applied microbiology.

[36]  G. L. Beardsley.  Age, growth, and reproduction of the dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus, in the straits of Florida , 1967 .