Project Overview

Summary:

     In January 2016, Dr. Anthony Knap at Texas A&M University was awarded an RFP-V grant of $1,936,869 to lead the GoMRI project entitled, “Deep-sea Risk Assessment and species sensitivity to WAF, CEWAF and Dispersant” consisted of consisted of 1 collaborative institution and approximately 12 research team members (including students).

     The ability to use dispersants as an oil spill response option may provide significant benefits in cases when other response techniques have reduced efficiency. Subsea injection of dispersants offers some significant benefits compared to the application of dispersants on the sea surface, for example access to the freshest and non-emulsified oil in the high turbulence environment, ability to reduce the volume of required dispersant by injecting it directly into the oil stream without the loss of the product, ability to operate day and night under a wider range of weather conditions, and availability of a large water mass to rapidly decrease the concentration of a dispersed oil intrusion. Although dispersant application at the sea surface has been extensively studied, more data are needed on the efficiency and environmental impacts of dispersed oil in the subsea to evaluate and document acceptability of this response technique.

     We tested a series of deep-sea organisms to the effect of specific individual hydrocarbons, as well as WAF, CEWAF and Dispersant. These responses and effects on the deep-sea fauna were calibrated by the shrimp (Americamysis bahia) which is easy to obtain and test results have been obtained in some cases. We also used passive devices (silicon tubing) to produce equilibrated WAF and CEWAF in our experiments to also determine the use of these very new methods in oil spill research. We developed a new method for the effects of petroleum contaminants on marine organisms. We collected species known to be hardy (Euphausiids, Oplophorids, Copepods) using a Tucker Trawl the last 2 days of the GoMRI DEEPEND program of Dr. Tracey Sutton to maximize the use of ship time and have added 4 ship days per year to keep these organisms fresh.

     The Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG) at Texas A&M University and Nova Southeastern University (NSU) have already teamed up to work on oil contaminants in shallow water corals were teaming up to respond to the GoMRI V RFP. GERG and NSU were responsible for the collection of deep-sea organisms using GERG technicians and NSU biologists. GERG was responsible for the dosing and NSU the collection and husbandry of the organisms as well as measuring the effects. NSU biologists (T. Frank et al.) are experienced in the difficult task of collecting live, deep-sea species. GERG has been a leader in hydrocarbon analysis and research for 30 years. Knap as carried out many field and lab-based projects involving oil hydrocarbons and marine organisms.

Research Highlights

     As of December 31, 2019, this project’s research resulted in 4 peer-reviewed publications and 14 scientific presentations, and 10 datasets being submitted to the GoMRI Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), which are/will be made available to the public. The project also engaged 1 PhD level student over its award period. Significant outcomes of this project’s research according to GoMRI Research Theme are highlighted below.

Theme: Environmental effects of the petroleum/dispersant system on the sea floor, water column, coastal waters, beach sediments, wetlands, marshes, and organisms; and the science of ecosystem recovery.

Dosing with single hydrocarbons

Task: Investigate the toxicity of single hydrocarbons like 1-methyl naphthalene and phenanthrene on deep sea organisms. 

Publication: Knap, A., Turner, N. R., Bera, G., Renegar, D. A., Frank, T., Sericano, J. and Riegl, B. M. (2017), Short-term toxicity of 1-methylnaphthalene to Americamysis bahia and 5 deep-sea crustaceans. Environ Toxicol Chem, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28731272. Impact Factor (3.18) ISSN:1552-8618

Highlights:

1. Toxicity test with Americamysis bahia: Literatures are available for LC50 and CBB data for Americamysis bahia (for these single hydrocarbon). Thus dosing this species through our passive dosing system and then calculating and comparing the LC50 and CBB data with literatures gave us confidence in our dosing system. As mentioned earlier, it also tested the Kd values (determined in our lab) by comparing actual target concentration with theoretical target concentration.
2. Toxicity test with deep sea organisms: The mesopelagic taxa we tested has never been tested for single hydrocarbon or whole oil toxicity. In our project, several deep-water crustaceans were tested against single hydrocarbons. 

Dosing with whole oil

Task: Investigate the toxicity of Macondo oil (MC252) on deep-sea organisms and Americamysis bahia

Publication: Turner, N.R., Bera, G., Renegar, D.A., Frank, T., Riegl, B.M., Sericano, J.L., Sweet, S., Knap, A.H., Acute toxicity of phenanthrene and MC 252 crude oil to vertically migrating deep-sea crustaceans. In Review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

Highlights:

1. Sensitivity of Deep-sea crustaceans to MC252

We have published this data in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Journal (doi:10.1002/etc.3926). In summary, deep-sea organisms are relatively more sensitive to oil compare to other crustaceans and species (Fig 1). These CBB values for deep-sea crustaceans have been calculated from our toxicity data for 1-methylnaphthalene. 

Figure 1. Percentile of previous and measured CBBs (µmol/g lipid). Error bars indicate ± standard error.

CEWAF Toxicity to deep-sea crustaceans

Task: To understand whether use of dispersant with oil increase the toxicity of oil.

Publication: Bera, G.,Renegar, D.A., Turner, N., Whitemiller, E.G., Dodge, R., Riegl, B. M., Knap, A., Acute Toxicity of chemically enhanced water accommodated fraction (CEWAF) of oil to Deep-sea crustaceans and a proxy animal. In preparation  

Figure 2. CEWAF Acute Toxicity Endpoints for three different Deep-sea Crustaceans by A) NS&T PAHs B) Loading, and C) estimated oil equivalents.

Proxy for Deep-sea Crustaceans

Task: Investigate the toxicity of single hydrocarbons as well as Macondo oil (MC252) on peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdmanni) to understand whether peppermint shrimps are similar response to petroleum products as the deep-sea crustaceans. If similar, peppermint shrimps can be used as proxy for deep-sea crustaceans in toxicity test.

Publication: Renegar, D.A., Turner, N., Bera, G., Whitemiller, E.G., Dodge, R., Riegl, B. M., Knap, A., Comparative toxicity of hydrocarbons for evaluation of Lysmata boggessi as an experimental proxy for deep-water column micronekton. In Review. Toxicology Letters.
 

Highlights:

    1. Proxy species Lysmata boggessisensitivity to single hydrocarbon and oil 

 Fig. 3 Lysmata boggessi. Acute toxicity endpoints with 1-methynapthalene and oil at 12h, 24h, and 48h.

PETROTOX model (in collaboration with Exxon Mobil)

Task: To use PETROTOX model to predict aqueous concentration and toxicity of MC252 across different species.

Our laboratory experiments have shown that WAF made through traditional method CROSERF and passive dosing technique such as silicon tubing have similar chemistry. These results encouraged us to use the passive dosing through silicone tubing for our whole oil (MC252) toxicity testing.

 Publication: Bera. G., Parkerton, T., Aaron Redman, Nick Turner, Abigail Renegar Sericano, J.L., Knap, A.K..  (2018), Passive Dosing Yields Comparable Dissolved Aqueous Exposures of Crude Oil as CROSERF Water Accommodated Fraction Method. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/etc.4263. Impact Factor (3.18) ISSN:1552-8618

Estimated Oil Equivalent (in collaboration with ADDOMEx)

Task: To generate an intercalibration for a quick matric for oil concentration in natural samples.

Publication: Bera, G., Gold, G., Wade, T., Morales-McDevitt. M., Shia, D., Quigg. A., Knap, A., Passow, U., Inter-laboratory Inter-calibration of Estimated Oil Equivalent (EOE) Concentrations of a Water Accommodated Fraction (WAF) of Oil and a Chemically Enhanced WAF (CEWAF). Heliyon 5 (2019) e01174. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01174 Impact Factor (1.23). ISSN: 2405-8440

Microbial response to dissolved vs dispersed oil (in collaboration with ADDOMEx)

Task: To understand microbial response when they are exposed to dissolved oil vs dispersed oil (droplets).

Publication: Bera, G., Passow, U., Doyle, S., Kamalanathan, M., Wage, T., Sylvan, J., Sericano, J., Gold, G., Quigg, A., Knap, A. Biological responses to dissolved vs dispersed oil. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110713.

  Proposal Abstract - RFP-V PI Anthony Knap