DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOASSAY FOR OILS 

 USING BROWN ALGAE 



M. Dennis Hanisak 



Richard L. Steele 



U.S. Environmental Research Laboratory 



Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882 



ABSTRACT 



Bioassay procedures were developed to observe the effects of No. 2 fuel oil, 

 two jet fuels, and a crude oil on the growth and early development of Fucus 

 zygotes and Laminaria gametophytes. These algae are as sensitive, or more so, 

 than fish and invertebrates previously tested in oil bioassays. Fucus sperm and 

 Laminaria spores are extremely sensitive to oil, with dramatic effects at the 

 levels of 2 ppb. These results indicated that these species are potentially good 

 bioassay organisms, and also that chronic, low-level pollution could 

 significantly alter the community structure in marine ecosystems. 



INTRODUCTION 



Algae are the primary producers in the marine ecosystem. Yet, despite their 

 importance, little is known on how they are affected by specific pollutants in 

 their environment. A bioassay is one method of studying pollution effects on 

 organisms. This paper reports on bioassay procedures developed with two 

 brown algal genera, Fucus and Laminaria. 



In order to be a useful bioassay organism, an alga should be readily available 

 in nature, easily maintained in the laboratory, hardy enough to grow in culture, 

 yet sensitive enough to respond to low levels of pollution encountered in 

 nature, and preferably, of ecological or economic importance. Both Fucus and 

 Laminaria have most, if not all, of these qualities; yet, because of differences in 

 their habitats, they might react differently to an oil spill. Fucus, being an 

 intertidal species, would be subjected to repeated immersion in the water mass 

 and be coated with oil when the tide is out. Laminaria is a subtidal species and 

 would normally be subjected only to concentrations of oil present in the water 

 column. 



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