Lack of physiological responses to hydrocarbon accumulation by Mytilus trossulus after 3-4 years chronic exposure to spilled Exxon Valdez crude oil in Prince William Sound
Re. Thomas et al., Lack of physiological responses to hydrocarbon accumulation by Mytilus trossulus after 3-4 years chronic exposure to spilled Exxon Valdez crude oil in Prince William Sound, COMP BIOC C, 122(1), 1999, pp. 153-163
Citations number
37
Categorie Soggetti
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Journal title
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY C-PHARMACOLOGY TOXICOLOGY & ENDOCRINOLOGY
Mussels, Mytilus trossulus, were sampled in 1992 and 1993 from beaches in P
rince William Sound that had been oiled by the Exxon Valdez spill of March,
1989. At some of the oiled beaches, mussels were collected from beds overl
ying oiled sediments, and from bedrock adjacent to these beds. Mussels were
also collected from beaches within the Sound that had not been impacted by
the spill. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in mussel
tissue, physiological responses (byssal thread production, condition index
, clearance rate, and glycogen content), were determined for each group of
mussels. Total PAH concentrations in mussel tissue ranged from 0 to 6 mu g
g(-1), and were significantly greater in mussels from oiled beds than those
from reference beds. No significant differences were noted in byssal threa
d production, condition index, clearance rate, or glycogen content between
oiled sample sites and reference sites. The lack of physiological response
was surprising because mussels in this study were chronically exposed to PA
H for 3-4 years, and none of the physiological responses measured appeared
to be affected by that exposure. The lack of a physiological response sugge
sts that chronically exposed mussels may develop a physiological tolerance
to PAH, but we recognize that these measures may not have been sensitive en
ough to discriminate response from background noise. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scie
nce Inc. All rights reserved.