PARENT SESSION
80 - Biomonitoring and Assessment
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Wednesday, 15 May 2002
Exhibition Area

(80-52) BioSea - a Research Project for Monitoring and Forecasting Biological Impact of Oil Industry Activities in Arctic Environment.

Bracco, Laura¹, Cova, Carlo Alberto¹, Sanni, Steinar², Jonsson, Grete³, Baussant, Thierry³, Aas, Endre³, Buffagni, Melania^*,1, ¹ ENI/Agip, S.Donato Mil.se, Italy² Akvamiljo, Randaberg, Norway³ RF- Rogaland Research, Stavanger, Norway

ABSTRACT- The Oil Industry is currently extending into the Arctic Sea its exploration and production activities. In order to obtain the exploration permits in such sensitive environmentally area, the Authorities require ecological information on the health of the environment, paying attention to the potential biological effects on the organisms living in the area close to the petroleum activities. Innovative methods for measuring and predicting biological effects are being developed in European Countries. On the contrary the corresponding methods for operational use in the Arctic waters are presently lacking. The development of the BioSea project, financed by Norsk Agip, will permit to reach the following objectives: satisfy the Authorities demands in the Arctic; adapt the existing methods to Arctic conditions; monitor and predict the environmental impact of drilling and production discharges. The concept of biomarkers (biological effect parameters) will be used to carry out this project. This kind of approach is considered as an important management tool for Oil Companies in order to acquire the knowledge necessary to establish decision making based on predictions of biological effects. Besides, the development of manuals and operative protocols will be useful for the environmental monitoring in the area of Oil Industry interest. The BioSea project is divided into three parts: method development; laboratory studies; field verification studies. In particular, during the laboratory studies, different types of Arctic marine organisms (clams, shrimps, crabs, sea urchins, polar cods) will be exposed to oil dispersions. Several types of biological signals and effects will be measured with the aim to establish an exposure/response relationship. In relation to the obtained results a selection of biomarker signal parameters will be made for future monitoring in the field. The selected parameters will be validated in the field and existing background levels of these parameters in the Arctic will be measured.

Key words: Monitoring, Biomarker, Management tool, Arctic Sea