Changes in the Behavioral Responses of Fishes Exposed to Petrogenic Contaminants

• Author / Creator

  Philibert, Danielle

• The extraction, transport and refining of crude oil generates a diverse group of contaminants that pose a risk to both fresh and saltwater fishes. Adult fish can detect and actively avoid exposure to these pollutants; however, the embryonic and larval fish cannot outswim a toxic plume and are more sensitive to narcotic contaminants like crude oil. Because of the diversity of oil-based contaminants as a group, the primary mechanisms of toxicity vary. In crude oil, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are thought to be responsible for the lethality and cardiotoxicity observed. Each type of crude oil has a unique PAH fingerprint that contributes to differences in toxicity, and crude oils with uncharacteristic PAH composition like diluted bitumen (dilbit), are not well characterized. Unlike crude oil, the toxicity of by-products of oil extraction such as oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is thought to be driven primarily by naphthenic acids (NAs). OSPW also contains high concentrations of salts and some heavy metals that could contribute to its toxicity to fishes. In my thesis, I studied the impact of a broad range of oil-related contaminants on the development and behavior of both fresh and saltwater fishes. My study included various unweathered, weathered and dispersed crude oils, dilbit, and raw and treated (ozonated) OSPW.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • toxicology
  • OSPW
  • crude oil
  • fish

• Graduation date

  Fall 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-7q6n-eq85

• License

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