| MMS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM: ONGOING STUDIES | ||||||
| MMS OCS Region: | Pacific | |||||
| Title: | Use of Biological Endpoints in Flatfish to Establish Sediment Quality Criteria for Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon Residues and Assess Remediation Strategies (PC-00-02-13) | |||||
| Actual Costs: | $129,492 | Period of Performance: | FY 2001-2003 | |||
| Conducting Organization: | Coastal Marine Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara-Santa Barbara, CA (Contact: Daniel Schlenk) | |||||
| MMS Contact: | Dr. Fred Piltz | |||||
| Description: | ||||||
| Background | ||||||
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common contaminants in sediments of Southern California waterways. "Urbanized" PAHs originate from many sources including urban runoff and municipal discharges, while "non-urbanized" PAHs may originate from oil spills and natural oil seeps. The resulting is a complex mixture of compounds, each with different biotransformation patterns and accumulation tendencies. There is substantial uptake of these compounds by benthic fish through the diet and direct exposure to sediment. The dynamics of metabolism of PAHs in vertebrates prevents accurate measurement of exposure using traditional chemical residue methods. | ||||||
| Objectives | ||||||
| Conduct studies of Southern California species of flatfish to test the hypotheses that biochemical responses of flatfish can be used to assess exposure to "non-urbanized" PAHs in sediments of the Southern California coast and that these biochemical responses are related to adverse reproduction in flatfish. | ||||||
| Methods | ||||||
| Collect sample of California
toungefish (Symphurus atricauda) and/or English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus)
for use as sentinel species. Specimens will be placed in laboratory aquaria.
Expose animals to varying concentration of sediments from Coal Oil Point off Santa Barbara County and near Platform Edith off Huntington Beach. Use responses of laboratory exposed fish to generate a PAH concentration versus response curve. Collect additional specimens from the two locations for assessment of reproductive fitness and function. Compare these values against biological endpoints in a reproductive response versus biological response curve. The biochemical responses that correspond to reproductive effects can then be used to extrapolate sediment concentrations from the laboratory experiments to determine sediment concentrations that would elicit those responses. |
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| Importance to MMS | ||||||
| This study will demonstrate techniques to determine sediment quality criteria for PAH and other sediment contaminants that have been successfully used in other locations, but not in Southern California. The determination of sediment quality criteria for the adverse effects of PAHs is necessary in ecological risk assessments and is especially important in allowing MMS analysts to differentiate between OCS oil and other sources of oil. | ||||||
| Current Status: | ||||||
| The study has been completed and a final report has been received. MMS Study No. 2006-008. | ||||||
| Final Report Due: | 11/29/2006 | |||||
| Publications: | None at this time. | |||||
| Affiliated WWW Sites: | http://coastalresearchcenter.ucsb.edu/cmi/ | |||||
| Revised date: | November 29, 2006 | |||||
| ESPIS |
ESPIS - All completed
ESP Studies: |
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