Skip to main content
Publications | Persons | Institutes | Projects
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

A guide to toxicity assessment and monitoring effects at lower levels of biological organization following marine oil spills in European waters
Martínez-Gómez, C.; Vethaak, A.D.; Hylland, K.; Burgeot, T.; Köhler, A.; Lyons, B.P.; Thain, J.; Gubbins, M.J.; Davies, I.M. (2010). A guide to toxicity assessment and monitoring effects at lower levels of biological organization following marine oil spills in European waters. ICES J. Mar. Sci./J. Cons. int. Explor. Mer 67(6): 1105-1118. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsq017
In: ICES Journal of Marine Science. Academic Press: London. ISSN 1054-3139; e-ISSN 1095-9289, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Accidents > Oil spills
    Biomarkers
    Hazard assessment
    Monitoring
    Monitoring systems
    Natural resources > Mineral resources > Mineral deposits > Subsurface deposits > Fuels > Fossil fuels > Petroleum
    Pollution > Oil pollution
    Properties > Biological properties > Toxicity
    Tests > Bioassays
    Europe Coasts [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    bioassays; biological effects; biomarkers; oil spill; PAH; petroleum;risk assessment

Authors  Top 
  • Martínez-Gómez, C.
  • Vethaak, A.D., more
  • Hylland, K.
  • Burgeot, T.
  • Köhler, A.
  • Lyons, B.P.
  • Thain, J.
  • Gubbins, M.J.
  • Davies, I.M., more

Abstract
    The usefulness of applying biological-effects techniques (bioassays and biomarkers) as tools to assist in evaluating damage to the health of marine ecosystems produced by oil spills has been demonstrated clearly during recent decades. Guidelines are provided for the use of biological-effects techniques in oil spill pollution monitoring for the NE Atlantic coasts and the NW Mediterranean Sea. The emphasis is on fish and invertebrates and on methods at lower levels of organization (in vitro, suborganismal, and individual). Guidance is provided to researchers and environmental managers on: hazard identification of the fuel oil released; selection of appropriate bioassays and biomarkers for environmental risk assessment; selection of sentinel species; the design of spatial and temporal surveys; and the control of potential confounding factors in the sampling and interpretation of biological-effects data. It is proposed that after an oil spill incident, a monitoring programme using integrated chemical and biological techniques be initiated as soon as possible for ecological risk assessment, pollution control, and monitoring the efficacy of remediation. This can be done by developing new biomonitoring programmes or by adding appropriate biological-effects methods to the existing monitoring programmes.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors