US EPA

1485810 

Journal Article 

Abnormal development and growth reductions of pollock Theragra chalcogramma embryos exposed to water-soluble fractions of oil 

Carls, MG; Rice, SD 

1990 

DART/TER/91000819 

88 

1 

eng 

Exposure of developing pollock Theragra chalcogramma embryos to static water-soluble fractions (WSF) of Cook Inlet crude oil in seawater slowed initial development, produced shorter larvae, and caused morphological abnormalities including membranous vesicles; body curvatures; deformations of yolk, eye, brain, jaw, intestine, and pericardial sac;absence of lower jaw; fin erosion; yolksac bloating; and light pigmentation. These abnormalities were retained after hatch, and in many cases became more pronounced as developing structures failed to form properly. The median concentration of WSF that caused abnormalities (AB50) was 2.1 +/- 0.1 ppm. Exposure during embryonic development reduced prehatch survival by a maximum of 26%, and caused high mortality after hatch. The median lethal concentration (1.8 +/- 0.6 ppm) was not significantly different than the AB50. Although exposed pollock embryos generally survived to hatching, larvae were malformed, smaller, and had poorer survival potential than controls.