Chronic hydrocarbon exposure of harlequin ducks in areas affected by the Selendang Ayu oil spill at Unalaska Island, Alaska

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
By: , and 

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Abstract

We evaluated chronic exposure of harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) to hydrocarbons associated with the 2004 M/V Selendang Ayu oil spill at Unalaska Island, Alaska. We measured levels of hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity (EROD) in liver biopsy samples as an indicator of hydrocarbon exposure in three oiled bays and one reference bay in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Median EROD activity in ducks from oiled bays was significantly higher than in the reference bay in seven of nine pairwise comparisons. These results indicated that harlequin ducks were exposed to lingering hydrocarbons more than three years after the spill.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Chronic hydrocarbon exposure of harlequin ducks in areas affected by the Selendang Ayu oil spill at Unalaska Island, Alaska
Series title Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
DOI 10.1002/etc.1997
Volume 31
Issue 12
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher SETAC
Publisher location Brussels, Belgium
Contributing office(s) Alaska Science Center
Description 4 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
First page 2828
Last page 2831
Country United States
State Alaska
Other Geospatial Unalaska Island
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