INTERACTION BETWEEN MARINE ORGANISMS AND OIL POLLUTION

Part I of this project has established that fossil hydrocarbons can be distinguished from biogenic hydrocarbons in living organisms. Hydrocarbons are stable in marine organisms and sediments and can move unaltered through several trophic levels. Only very low levels of organic stimuli are necessary for chemical communication--a mechanism especially prone to interference by pollutants. Part II has established that a low level of crude oil (0.9 milliliters/liter) interferes with the timing of feeding behavior in the lobster (Homarus americanus). Water soluble fractions (in the 50 ppb range) did not affect feeding behavior. Added oil reduced the lipids as well as alkane and alkene-aromatic content of aquaria. Degradation of added oil followed the usual pathways of evaporation, dissolution, oxidation, polymerization, and metabolism. (Modified author abstract)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/EPA18050EBN
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Ecological research series.
• Corporate Authors:

  Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

  Department of Applied Mechanics and Engineering
  Woods Hole, MA  United States  02543
• Authors:
  • Blumer, M
  • HUNT, J M
  • Atema, J
  • Stein, L
• Publication Date: 1973-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 103 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Animal behavior; Animals; Aquatic life; Biodeterioration; Concentration (Chemistry); Crude oil; Deterioration; Environmental impacts; Habitat (Ecology); Hydrocarbons; Marine biology; Oil spills; Oils; Water pollution
• Old TRIS Terms: Biological effects (Oil); Feeding habits; Lobsters; Oil degradation; Water pollution effects animals
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00051064
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• ISBN: EPA-18050-EBN
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1974 12:00AM