Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

In this study fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryo-larval stages were exposed to two oil sands tailings pond sediments which had previously been shown to decrease the survival of embryo-larval larval stages of walleye (Sander vitreus) and northern pike (Esox lucius). Fathead minnow are standa...

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Main Authors: J.L. Parrott, J.C. Raine, M.E. McMaster, L.M. Hewitt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2019-09-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019361699
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author J.L. Parrott
J.C. Raine
M.E. McMaster
L.M. Hewitt
author_facet J.L. Parrott
J.C. Raine
M.E. McMaster
L.M. Hewitt
author_sort J.L. Parrott
collection DOAJ
description In this study fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryo-larval stages were exposed to two oil sands tailings pond sediments which had previously been shown to decrease the survival of embryo-larval larval stages of walleye (Sander vitreus) and northern pike (Esox lucius). Fathead minnow are standard test species and we wanted to compare their sensitivity to the other two species. Fathead minnow larvae were exposed for 20 days (5 days in the egg stage and 15 days in the larval stage) with daily renewal of sediments and waters. Sediments contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs (APAHs). Results from an earlier study showed that Sediment 1 contained 173 μg/g total PAHs + APAHs (97 % alkylated), and sediment 2 contained 401 μg/g total PAHs + APAHs (95 % alkylated). Fathead minnow larvae exposed to oil sands tailings pond sediments had decreased survival, decreased weight, and increased deformities. Fathead minnow survival was unaffected at the embryo stage and at hatch. Most deaths occurred at the larval stages 1–8 days after hatching, showing the importance of exposing the fish for at least a week after hatch. Toxicity was seen at 0.2 g/L of sediment, which was equivalent to the addition of 35 and 80 μg total PAHs + APAHs to 1 L of overlying water for sediment 1 and 2, respectively. When compared to embryo-larval northern pike and walleye results from previous studies, all three species of fish responded more strongly to sediment 2 compared to sediment 1. For effects on lethality, fathead minnow were equally sensitive to pike, but walleye were 5–28 times more sensitive to the lethal effects of the sediments compared to both fathead minnow and pike. The study (and comparisons to our previous studies) shows the difference in sensitivity between a model laboratory species (fathead minnow) and some species of wild fish that are highly relevant to the oil sands area of Alberta.
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spelling doaj.art-50414e904c044fc28abcddaadd71887c2022-12-21T23:47:08ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402019-09-0159e02509Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)J.L. Parrott0J.C. Raine1M.E. McMaster2L.M. Hewitt3Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada; Corresponding author.Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5B3, CanadaWater Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, CanadaWater Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, CanadaIn this study fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryo-larval stages were exposed to two oil sands tailings pond sediments which had previously been shown to decrease the survival of embryo-larval larval stages of walleye (Sander vitreus) and northern pike (Esox lucius). Fathead minnow are standard test species and we wanted to compare their sensitivity to the other two species. Fathead minnow larvae were exposed for 20 days (5 days in the egg stage and 15 days in the larval stage) with daily renewal of sediments and waters. Sediments contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs (APAHs). Results from an earlier study showed that Sediment 1 contained 173 μg/g total PAHs + APAHs (97 % alkylated), and sediment 2 contained 401 μg/g total PAHs + APAHs (95 % alkylated). Fathead minnow larvae exposed to oil sands tailings pond sediments had decreased survival, decreased weight, and increased deformities. Fathead minnow survival was unaffected at the embryo stage and at hatch. Most deaths occurred at the larval stages 1–8 days after hatching, showing the importance of exposing the fish for at least a week after hatch. Toxicity was seen at 0.2 g/L of sediment, which was equivalent to the addition of 35 and 80 μg total PAHs + APAHs to 1 L of overlying water for sediment 1 and 2, respectively. When compared to embryo-larval northern pike and walleye results from previous studies, all three species of fish responded more strongly to sediment 2 compared to sediment 1. For effects on lethality, fathead minnow were equally sensitive to pike, but walleye were 5–28 times more sensitive to the lethal effects of the sediments compared to both fathead minnow and pike. The study (and comparisons to our previous studies) shows the difference in sensitivity between a model laboratory species (fathead minnow) and some species of wild fish that are highly relevant to the oil sands area of Alberta.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019361699Environmental assessmentEnvironmental healthEnvironmental impact assessmentEnvironmental managementEnvironmental pollutionWater pollution
spellingShingle J.L. Parrott
J.C. Raine
M.E. McMaster
L.M. Hewitt
Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
Heliyon
Environmental assessment
Environmental health
Environmental impact assessment
Environmental management
Environmental pollution
Water pollution
title Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
title_full Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
title_fullStr Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
title_full_unstemmed Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
title_short Chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
title_sort chronic toxicity of oil sands tailings pond sediments to early life stages of fathead minnow pimephales promelas
topic Environmental assessment
Environmental health
Environmental impact assessment
Environmental management
Environmental pollution
Water pollution
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019361699
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