Publication Abstract

Water column monitoring near oil installations in the North Sea 2001-2004

Water column monitoring near oil installations in the North Sea 2001-2004

K. Hylland, K.-E. Tollefsen, A. Ruus, G. Jonsson, R.C. Sundt, S. Sanni, T.I.R. Utvik, S. Johnsen, I. Nilssen, L. Pinturier, L. Balk, J. Baršienė, I. Marigòmez, S.W. Feist and J.F. Børseth

Fisheries have been vital to coastal communities around the North Sea for centuries, but this semi-enclosed sea also receives large amounts of waste materials. It is therefore important to monitor and control inputs of contaminants into the North Sea. Inputs of produced water effluents in the Norwegian sector have been monitored through an integrated chemical and biological effects programme since 2001. The programme has used caged Atlantic cod and blue mussels. PAH tissue residues in blue mussels and PAH bile metabolites in cod have confirmed exposure to effluents, but also strong variation between years and seasons, and showed that contaminant levels were lower than in many coastal ecosystems. Results for a range of biological effects methods reflected exposure gradients, but also indicated that exposure levels were low. There is a clear need to develop methods that are sufficiently sensitive to components in produced water at the levels found in marine ecosystems.

Reference

K. Hylland, K.-E. Tollefsen, A. Ruus, G. Jonsson, R.C. Sundt, S. Sanni, T.I.R. Utvik, S. Johnsen, I. Nilssen, L. Pinturier, L. Balk, J. Baršienė, I. Marigòmez, S.W. Feist and J.F. Børseth (2008) Water column monitoring near oil installations in the North Sea 2001-2004. Marine Pollution Bulletin 56(3); 414-429

K. Hylland, K.-E. Tollefsen, A. Ruus, G. Jonsson, R.C. Sundt, S. Sanni, T.I.R. Utvik, S. Johnsen, I. Nilssen, L. Pinturier, L. Balk, J. Baršienė, I. Marigòmez, S.W. Feist* and J.F. Børseth

Marine Pollution Bulletin 56(3); 414-429