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Effects of Diluted Bitumen Oil Products in Sediment on Benthic Organisms
Citation:
Moso, E., M. Barron, R. Conmy, P. Meyer, AND D. Sundaravadivelu. Effects of Diluted Bitumen Oil Products in Sediment on Benthic Organisms. Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference, Tampa, Florida, February 03 - 06, 2020.
Impact/Purpose:
The purpose of this presentation is to report toxicity data needed to judge the relative hazards of diluted bitumen oil products (dilbits) mixed with sediments. There is evidence suggesting diluted bitumen spills in aquatic environments may sink in the water column, which would increase the likelihood exposure to sediment dwelling benthic organisms. This research has given us the opportunity to determine effects of two different dilbits on amphipods, which are sensitive organisms that live in sediment and that have standard test methods.
Description:
Diluted bitumen (dilbit) oil products are transported through pipelines across aquatic habitats and have the potential to impact freshwater and marine species, including benthic organisms. To understand better the effects on sediment dwelling organisms, 10-day bedded sediment tests using two different dilbit oil products, Cold Lake Blend and Western Canadian Select, were performed on two amphipod species, Hyallela azteca (fresh water) and Leptocheirus plumulosus (salt water). The results showed EC25 value ranges of 3.39-6.69 g/Kg based on growth and survival, and LC50 values between 0.58 and 0.70 g/Kg based on survival for H. azteca and L. plumulosus, respectively. This study is the first to report the toxicity of sediment associated dilbit and is a step in the process to improve our understanding the effects dilbit oil spills can have on often overlooked, yet extremely valuable, freshwater and marine benthic habitats.
URLs/Downloads:
https://gulfresearchinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020_GoMOSES_Program_FINAL.pdf