TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of oil spill response technologies on marine microorganisms in the high Arctic
AU - Pančić, Marina
AU - Köhler, Eva
AU - Paulsen, Maria Lund
AU - Toxværd, Kirstine Underbjerg
AU - Lacroix, Camille
AU - Le Floch, Stéphane
AU - Hjorth, Morten
AU - Nielsen, Torkel Gissel
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - We studied how exposure to oil spill response technologies affect marine microorganisms during Arctic winter and spring. Microorganisms were exposed to chemically dispersed oil (DISP), in situ burnt oil (ISB), and natural attenuated oil (NATT) in mesocosms from February to May. We subsampled the mesocosms and studied the effects of oil in laboratory incubations as changes in biomass of the major functional groups: bacteria, heterotrophic-nanoflagellates, dinoflagellates, ciliates, pico- and nanophytoplankton, and diatoms over two 14-day periods. In winter, the majority of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remained encapsulated in the ice, and the low concentrations of PAHs in water led to minute changes in biomass of the investigated groups. In spring, however, when the PAHs were partially released from the melting ice, the biomass of many functional groups in DISP and NATT decreased significantly, while the changes in ISB were less pronounced. The overall biomass reduction, as observed in this study, could lead to a disrupted transfer of energy from the primary producers to the higher trophic levels in oil affected areas.
AB - We studied how exposure to oil spill response technologies affect marine microorganisms during Arctic winter and spring. Microorganisms were exposed to chemically dispersed oil (DISP), in situ burnt oil (ISB), and natural attenuated oil (NATT) in mesocosms from February to May. We subsampled the mesocosms and studied the effects of oil in laboratory incubations as changes in biomass of the major functional groups: bacteria, heterotrophic-nanoflagellates, dinoflagellates, ciliates, pico- and nanophytoplankton, and diatoms over two 14-day periods. In winter, the majority of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remained encapsulated in the ice, and the low concentrations of PAHs in water led to minute changes in biomass of the investigated groups. In spring, however, when the PAHs were partially released from the melting ice, the biomass of many functional groups in DISP and NATT decreased significantly, while the changes in ISB were less pronounced. The overall biomass reduction, as observed in this study, could lead to a disrupted transfer of energy from the primary producers to the higher trophic levels in oil affected areas.
KW - Arctic microorganisms
KW - Oil spill
KW - Chemical dispersant
KW - In situ burning
KW - Natural attenuation
U2 - 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.104785
DO - 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.104785
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 31519452
SN - 0141-1136
VL - 151
JO - Marine Environmental Research
JF - Marine Environmental Research
M1 - 104785
ER -
