Impact of the Sea Empress oil spill on lysosomal stability in mussel blood cells

• Published in: Marine environmental research Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 451 - 455
• Main Authors: Fernley, P.W, Moore, M.N, Lowe, D.M, Donkin, P, Evans, S
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Bivalvia - drug effects; British Isles, England, Bristol Channel; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Haemocytes; Lysosomes; Lysosomes - drug effects; Marine; Mussels; Mytilus edulis; Neutral Red; Petroleum - toxicity; United Kingdom; “ Sea Empress” oil spill; Great Britain; Europe; Atlantic Ocean; Wales; United Kingdom; North Atlantic; Celtic Sea; ANE, British Isles, Wales; ANE, British Isles, England, Cornwall, Whitsand Bay; ANE, British Isles, Bristol Channel; British Isles, Bristol Channel; Lysosomes; “ Sea Empress” oil spill; Mussels; Haemocytes; Oil spill; Mytilus edulis; Toxicity; Lysosome; Biological marker; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Spatial variation; Marine environment; Hemocyte; Bivalvia; Organochlorine compounds; Water pollution; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Biological accumulation; Environmental monitoring
• DOI: 10.1016/S0141-1136(00)00118-5
• EISSN: 1879-0291
• ISSN: 0141-1136

Coastal zones are among the most productive and vulnerable areas on the planet. An example of impact on these fragile environments was shown in the case of the “
Sea Empress” oil tanker, which ran aground in the Bristol Channel in 1996, spilling 72,000 tonnes of “Forties” crude oil. The objective was to investigate the sub-lethal cellular pathology and tissue hydrocarbon contamination in marine mussel populations, 4 months after the initial spill, using the neutral red retention (NRR) assay for lysosomal stability in blood cells. NRR was reduced in mussels, and indicative of cell injury, from the two sites closest to the spill in comparison with more distant and reference sites. Lysosomal stability was inversely correlated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussel tissues. Reduced lysosomal stability has previously been shown to contribute to impaired immunocompetence and to autophagic loss of body tissues. The use of this type of technique is discussed in the context of cost-effective, ecotoxicological tools for Integrated Coastal Zone Management.