Crude oil effects to developmental stages of the American lobster

Abstract

The effects of South Louisiana crude oil on larvae and juveniles of the American lobster Homarus americanus were investigated in continuous flow bioassay systems. Response parameters measured included estimates of the effects of oil exposure on survival, energetics, biochemical composition, hydrocarbon accumulation and histological aberrations. Disruptions in the energetics of larva l development were observed with exposure to oil-seawater mixtures and with ingestion of oil-contaminated Artemia nauplii; the changes in energetics were correlated with a shift in the normal patterns of lipid utilization and storage in larval lobsters. Hydrocarbon turnover appeared to be rapid and little accumulation, except of the higher molecular weight constituents, was observed. Recovery of larval and early post-larval stages was not immediate upon transfer to uncontaminated seawater but the normal pattern of energy storage and utilization was slowly restored. Post-larval lobsters were less sensitive to crude oil-seawater mixtures than the larval stages and no disruption in energetics was observed. Reductions in respiratory activity and bioaccumulation of both aliphatic and aromatic compounds, however, were observed in post-larval lobsters exposed to oil-contaminated sediments. Post-larval lobsters appeared to have longer retention times and slower turnover rates of petroleum hydrocarbons than the larval stages and persistence of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments might present a chronic contamination problem to benthic stages of the American lobster .