OSPR and the UC Davis, Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory, conducted acute and sub-chronic toxicity tests on the dispersant Corexit 9500A and dispersant/oil mixtures and disperants only. In this video, OSPR’s Ellen Faurot-Daniels presents the results of the tests on purple sea urchin and red abalone embryos, and how EPA and CDFW could use these methods to test and list cleanup agents in the future.
OSPR evaluated uptake of oil components on the beach talitrid amphipods to determine oil exposure through uptake from oil in sand and kelp (“wrack”) in the laboratory. In this video, Dr. Bryand Duke presents how oil exposure affected talitrid feeding and tissue PAH concentrations.
OSPR staff use drones and sophisticated cameras to assess the extent of environmental damage when oil releases occur in inland California. In this video, OSPR Environmental Scientist Judd Muskat presents how OSPR is advancing the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) to identify oiled area in hard-to-reach areas.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic components of petroleum. Consequently, exposures of fish (e.g. Topsmelt) to these compounds is of concern when an oil spill occurs in the ocean. These studies will provide critical information for oil spill natural resource damage assessments by measuring fish PAH concentrations using bile. In this video, OSPR chemist Martice Vasquez presents the results of this study.