Study

Uptake of petroleum hydrocarbons by the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) after experimental oiling and high pressure, hot water shore cleaning

  • Published source details Ganning B., Broman D. & Lindblad C. (1983) Uptake of petroleum hydrocarbons by the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) after experimental oiling and high pressure, hot water shore cleaning. Marine Environmental Research, 10, 245-254.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Remove or clean-up oil pollution following a spill

Action Link
Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation
  1. Remove or clean-up oil pollution following a spill

    A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in 1983 in one area of rocky coastline in the northern Baltic Proper, Sweden (Ganning et al. 1983) found that high pressure hot water shore cleaning technique following an oil spill tended to increase crude oil content of blue mussels Mytilus edulis. Results were not statistically tested. After three days, petroleum hydrocarbon content (crude oil) appeared to have increased in mussels from 40 µg/g to 533–657 µg/g, and decreased by only approximately 20–45% (to 290–530 µg/g) after two weeks. These levels tended to be higher than in mussels from an adjacent uncleaned contaminated site (43 µg/g) and mussels from a non-contaminated site (30 µg/g). In summer 1980, crude oil was experimentally spilled on the shore and cleaned. The “cleaned” sea area directly off the shore was fenced with booms, and sorption agents used on the sea surface. Blue mussels (>30 mm in length) collected from a non-contaminated site were placed in 11 net bags (12/bag). A week before cleaning, nine bags were placed within the fenced area, one bag at an uncleaned contaminated site, and one bag at the non-contaminated site, all at 0.5 m depth. One fenced bag was retrieved before cleaning. Three days after cleaning, the bag from the uncleaned contaminated site was retrieved, as well as six bags from the cleaned area. After two weeks, all remaining bags were retrieved. The crude oil content of mussels was measured.

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