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2.2.9 



BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS 



Dr. Jay C. Means, Professor 



Environmental Studies Institute 



Louisiana State University 



Baton Rouge, LA 70803 



The study of the toxicological impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons has been the focus of literally hundreds of 

 research articles. It would be impossible to summarize these in even a cursory way in the abstract. However, 

 the reader is referred to two recent compilations (Boesch and Rabalais 1987; National Research Council 1989) 

 which do encompass the wealth of information available. The vast majority of this article involves assays of acute, 

 short-term effects on various species of organisms representing several phyla. While these studies have 

 established the acute toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons, integrated long-term studies which take into account 

 what is known about the physical-chemical processes which determine contaminant distributions in sediment- 

 watcr systems have not been performed. Recent research has produced predictive models of exposure for benthic 

 organisms in contact with contaminated sediments (McElroy and Means 198S). Further, studies which attempt 

 to show the relationships of benthic infaunal activities and contaminant transport are also beginning to appear 

 in the literature. What is still lacking are integrated, holistic studies which take into account both physical and 

 biological processes which are occurring on longer time scales (e.g., six months to two years). The following are 

 a series of recommendations for research in the areas of long-term effects of petroleum hydrocarbons. 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



1. Detailed investigation of the chemodynamics of oil and gas production associated normal aromatic, and 

 heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with special emphasis on the role of chemodynamic processes in 

 regulating bioavailability to benthic and demersal organisms and in contributing to the persistence of these 

 chemicals in sediments. 



2. Investigation of the effects of petrogenic aromatic hydrocarbons and selected trace elements upon the 

 intermediary macromolecular processes in benthic and demersal species with special emphasis upon 

 processes associated with growth, reproduction, and energy utilization in these organisms. 



3. Develop more rigorous analytical methodologies for the evaluation of the fate and transport of biologically 

 active aromatic hydrocarbons including heterocyclic compounds and metabolites of aromatic and heterocyclic 

 compounds. 



4. Investigate the long-term effects of genotoxic compounds and metabolites upon the genome of benthic and 

 demersal species. 



5. Investigate the potential for tropic exchanges of accumulated compounds or metabolites of those compounds 

 with respect to their chronic toxicological impacts on organisms. 



6. Investigate the relative sensitivity of early developmental stages of benthic and demersal organisms with 

 respect to their responses to chrome exposure to petrogenic hydrocarbons during long periods of 

 development. 



REFERENCES 



Boesch, D.F. and N.N. Rabalais, (eds.). 1987. Long-term effects of offshore oil and gas development. Elsevier 

 Applied Science, NY. 695 pp. 



National Research Council (NRC). 1989. Using oil spill dispersants on the sea. National Academy Press, 

 Washington, D.C. 335 pp. 



