Effects of the water-soluble fraction of partially combusted crude oil from Kuwait's oil fires (from Desert Storm) on survival and growth of the marine fish Menidia beryllina.

Effects of the water-soluble fraction of partially combusted crude oil (PCCO) from oil fires in Kuwait on survival and growth of the marine fish Menidia beryllina were studied relative to those of Kuwaiti crude oil (CO). Survival was studied as a function of total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations [TPH] in 96-hr static exposures. The specific growth rate (SGR) and specific growth inhibition (SGI) percentage were studied as a function of [TPH] in 16-day flowthrough exposure. Survival in the highest PCCO-associated exposure ([TPH] = 0.64 mg/liter) declined from 95% after 48 hr to 60% at 120 hr of exposure. Linear regression analysis of the [TPH]-SGR relationships resulted in statistically significant (P < 0.001) concentration-dependent decrease of 0.19 in SGR of fish exposed to PCCO water-soluble fraction and of 9.6 x 10(-3) in SGR of fish exposed to CO water-soluble fraction. Linear regression analysis of the [TPH]-SGI relationships showed statistically significant (P < 0.001) concentration-dependent increase of 3.38% per TPH concentration unit (mg/liter) in SGI of fish exposed to PCCO water-soluble fraction, whereas the increase in SGI observed under CO exposures was 0.18% per TPH concentration unit. The toxicity of PCCO was exhibited at a much lower TPH concentration; the EC50 of PCCO was reached at a water TPH concentration of 12.42 mg/liter, while the EC50 of CO was reached at a water TPH concentration of 193.23 mg/liter. The comparative toxicity of the CO and PCCO water-soluble fractions and the difference in their chemical and physical characteristics suggest that the larger contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other breakdown products to the concentration of PCCO-associated TPHs in water resulted in a larger effect on growth of the marine fish M. beryllina.