Responses of macrobenthos colonizing estuarine sediments contaminated with drilling mud containing diesel oil

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01636488· OSTI ID:6318171

Tagatz, M E; Plaia, G R; Deans, C H

Acute toxicities and sublethal effects were determined in several investigations for 11 types of drilling muds obtained from offshore drilling sites in the Gulf of Mexico, which the Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association supplied to the Environmental Protection Agency. All were used muds that had been recycled during drilling. Those containing the highest amounts of No. 2 diesel fuel oil were the most acutely toxic to mysids (Mysidopsis bahia), grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), quahog clams (Mercenaria mercenaria), and sand dollars (Echinarachnius parma) and elicited the greatest sublethal responses in corals (Acropora cervicornis). A lignosulfonate mud was the most toxic, followed by a lime mud containing 3.98 mg diesel/g. The present study was initiated to determine the impact of the lime mud with its diesel oil component on field colonization by macrobenthos.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL
• OSTI ID: 6318171
• Journal Information: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Vol. 35:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
BENTHOS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
DRILLING FLUIDS
TOXICITY
DIESEL FUELS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ESTUARIES
OFFSHORE DRILLING
SEDIMENTS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DRILLING
FLUIDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
SURFACE WATERS
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
030800 - Natural Gas- Environmental Aspects