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Fun in the sun: Interactive effects of UV radiation and diluted bitumen on Hyalella azteca
Citation:
Sonya Michaleski 1,2, S., A. Bartlett, L. Timlick, M. Barron, L. Peters, K. Jeffries, AND V. Palace. Fun in the sun: Interactive effects of UV radiation and diluted bitumen on Hyalella azteca. International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) Virtual meeting, online only, Virtual Meeting, June 09 - 11, 2020.
Impact/Purpose:
The purpose of this research was to determine whether diluted bitumens (dilbits) have increased toxicity in the presence of natural sunlight, a phenomenon known as phototoxicity. The research is impactful because while many petroleum products are phototoxic, but the phototoxicity of dilbits had not been previously reported. Diblits are transported by pipeline into the U.S. and spills have occurred in freshwater. This research determined that dilbits can be phototoxic, showing additional toxicity pathway that should be investigated following dilbit spills.
Description:
Diluted bitumen, the major product of the oil sands region, is a combination of bitumen and natural gas condensates and synthetic crudes that are added to reduce viscosity so that the product can be transported in pipelines. The rate of diluted bitumen spills has declined over the past decade, but the risk of spills into aquatic environments is still a concern. Previous studies have evaluated the toxicity of diluted bitumen, but many overlook the potential for photo-enhanced toxicity of oil constituents in environments with UV exposure. To examine the interactive effects of diluted bitumen and UV radiation, Hyalella azteca were exposed to three water accommodated fractions of diluted bitumen, under low (10%) and high (90%) UV exposure. When exposed to diluted bitumen and UV radiation in combination, Hyalella azteca had significantly increased mortality and deformities, and reduced growth suggesting that the potential for photo-enhanced toxicity should be considered when examining the potential effects of diluted bitumen spills in freshwater environments.
