The role of hydrostatic pressure on developmental stages of Pomatoceros lamarcki (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) exposed to water accommodated fractions of crude oil and positive genotoxins at simulated depths of 1000-3000 m.

The effect of high hydrostatic pressures on the ecotoxicological profile of pollutants is an unexplored research area. Using Pomatoceros lamarcki as a surrogate organism for this eco-barotoxicological study, it was found that in a 48 h larval bioassay with water accommodated fractions (WAF) of crude oil of up to 15.1 mg L(-1) (total hydrocarbon content) and hydrostatic pressures up to 300 bar (3000 m), an additive response was found (p < 0.001) rather than any synergism (p = 0.881). Comprehensive cytogenetic analysis of 6-h (15 degrees C) embryos exposed to WAF (0.19 mg L(-1)) at 100 bar showed no effects on mitotic fidelity or cell division rate over the 1 bar treatment. However, embryo's treated with the clastogen mitomycin-c at 100 bar exhibited a significant increase in mitotic aberrations over 1 bar treated as was the case with hypo/hypersaline treatments (p < 0.05). Conversely, an increase in hydrostatic pressure actually reduced the effects of spindle inhibition by the aneugen colchicine (p < 0.05).