Biomarker responses and biotransformation capacity in Arctic and temperate benthic species exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Monitoring parameters for the assessment of oil and gas related contaminants and their biological effects need validation before application in the Arctic. For such monitoring purposes, we evaluated the potential use of three biomarkers (acetylcholinesterase, acyl-CoA oxidase and glutathione S-transferase) for application to an Arctic bivalve (Astarte borealis) and determined the body residue of pyrene and two pyrene metabolites (1-hydroxypyrene and pyrene-1-glucuronide) in Arctic benthic species (bivalve: Macoma calcarea; polychaete: Nephtys ciliata) and temperate benthic species (bivalve: Limecola balthica; polychaete: Alitta virens) in order to establish the potential of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) metabolite profiles as biomarkers of exposure in such species. Experimental PAH exposure levels were probably too low (0.

Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by arctic and temperate benthic species.

Increasing oil and gas activities may substantially increase chemical stress to benthic ecosystems in the Arctic, and it is necessary to evaluate such environmental risks in these systems. Risk assessment procedures for oil-related compounds (e.g.

Avoidance tests as a tool to detect sublethal effects of oil-impacted sediments.

Currently, risk assessment for oil contamination does not consider behavioral responses of benthos to oil toxicity. Avoidance of oil-contaminated sediment by benthic amphipods, however, may be a highly sensitive endpoint for sublethal effects of commonly used distillate fuels. In the present study, the avoidance behavior of temperate freshwater (Gammarus pulex) and marine (Gammarus locusta) amphipods was tested by allowing them to choose between a reference sediment and a distillate marine grade A (DMA) oil-spiked sediment.

Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and hexachlorobenzene by three Arctic benthic species from Kongsfjorden (Svalbard, Norway).

The predicted expansion of oil and gas (O&G) activities in the Arctic urges for a better understanding of impacts of these activities in this region. Here we investigated the influence of location, feeding strategy and animal size on the bioaccumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) by three Arctic benthic species in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard, Norway). No toxicity was expected based on biota PAH critical body residues.