PW18 Field Biological Monitoring of Ecosystem Impairment
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Wednesday
(PW276) Biological Monitoring of Waters Adjacent to Oil Platforms in Sonda de Campeche, Gulf of Mexico.
Hardin, J1, Ward, J2, Steinhauer, W3, Newton, F1, 1 Battelle Memorial Institute, Carlsbad, CA, USA2 Battelle Memorial Institute - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sequim, WA, USA3 Battelle Memorial Institute, Duxbury, MA, USA
ABSTRACT- Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) were deployed at and adjacent to three oil production platforms, an active crude oil seep, and an upcurrent reference area in the Sonda de Campeche region of the Gulf of Mexico. Exposure cages were located near the surface (-5 meters) in waters ranging from 34 - 67 meters deep. Cages were deployed from early December 2003 to late January 2004. One SPMD (one meter long polyethylene tube, filled with 
2ml of triolein oil) and 18 oysters were placed in each cage. Oysters had very high survival rates (92%) and shell growth was observed in all oysters. Ambient (background) levels of contaminants of concern (hydrocarbons and several metals) were determined for oysters and SPMD oil. Concentrations in samples associated with platform operations and the seep area were compared using parametric and non-parametric statistics to determine whether contaminants bioaccumulated above ambient concentrations. Crassostrea virginica and SPMDs show great promise as in situ monitoring tools for oil operations in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
Key words: virginica, Crassostrea, SPMD, bioaccumulate