Toxicity of five shale oils to fish and aquatic invertebrates

The chemical composition and toxicity of water soluble fractions (WSF) of 3 shale crude oils (Tosco, Paraho, Geokinetics), a hydrotreated oil (Paraho HDT) and a refined shale oil (Paraho JP-4) were determined. The aromatic fraction accounted for over 70 per cent of the total compounds identified in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology 1987-03, Vol.16 (2), p.239-246
Main Authors: WOODWARD, D. F, LITTLE, E. E, SMITH, L. M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Baetis
Biological and medical sciences
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Fishes
Fresh water environment
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrates
Isoperla
Marine Biology
Perlodidae
Petroleum - toxicity
Pimephales promelas
Ptychocheilus lucius
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Summary:The chemical composition and toxicity of water soluble fractions (WSF) of 3 shale crude oils (Tosco, Paraho, Geokinetics), a hydrotreated oil (Paraho HDT) and a refined shale oil (Paraho JP-4) were determined. The aromatic fraction accounted for over 70 per cent of the total compounds identified in the crude oils, but only 30-40 per cent of compounds in the hydrotreated and refined products. Mean 96-h LC50's of WSF in Colorado squawfish, fathead minnow and cutthroat trout were 1.8-4.5 mg total oil per litre for Geokinetics, 2.1-2.3 mg per litre for Tosco, 1.3-4.2 mg per litre for Paraho, over 2.4-over 5.0 mg per litre for Paraho HDT, and over 1.5-over 2.1 mg per litre for Paraho JP-4. Cutthroat trout were less tolerant than the other test species. Reduced swimming capacity and impaired ability to catch prey were observed at sublethal concentrations. Exposure to WSF was also detrimental to aquatic invertebrate communities. Beatis and Isoperla were the most sensitive genera, exhibiting significant (p less than 0.05) mortality at the lowest test concentrations (0.5-0.7 mg per litre) of each shale oil.
ISSN:0090-4341
1432-0703
DOI:10.1007/BF01055805