2 research outputs found
Sensory and Behavioral Responses of a Model Fish to Oil Sands Process-Affected Water with and without Treatment
If oil sands process-affected water
(OSPW) is to be returned to
the environment, a desire is that it not adversely affect aquatic
life. We investigated whether a relevant model fish (rainbow trout, <i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>) could detect OSPW using its olfactory
sense (smell) and whether exposure to it would result in behavioral
changes. We also investigated whether ozonation of OSPW, which lowers
the concentration of organic compounds attributed with toxicity (naphthenic
acids), would ameliorate any observed adverse effects. We found that
OSPW, regardless of ozonation, evoked olfactory tissue responses similar
to those expected of natural odorants, suggesting that fish could
smell OSPW. In 30 min OSPW exposures, olfactory responses to a food
odorant and a pheromone were reduced to a similar degree by OSPW,
again regardless of ozonation. However, olfactory responses returned
within minutes of exposure cessation. In contrast, in longer (7 d)
exposures, olfactory responses remained impaired, but not in fish
that had received ozone-treated OSPW. In the behavioral assay, fish
avoided an introduced plume of OSPW, and this response was not affected
by ozonation. Taken together, our data suggest that fish smell OSPW,
that they may use this sense to mount an avoidance response, and that,
if they cannot avoid it, their sensory responses may be impaired,
unless the OSPW has received some remediation
Advanced Analytical Mass Spectrometric Techniques and Bioassays to Characterize Untreated and Ozonated Oil Sands Process-Affected Water
Oil sands process-affected water
(OSPW) is a toxic and poorly biodegradable
mixture of sand, silt, heavy metals, and organics. In this study,
qualitative and quantitative comparisons of naphthenic acids (NAs)
were done using ultraperformance liquid chromatography time-of-flight
mass spectrometry (UPLC TOF-MS), Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance
(FT-ICR) MS, and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). The unique combination
of these analyses allowed for the determination and correlation of
NAs, oxidized NAs, and heteroatom (sulfur or nitrogen) NAs. Despite
its lower resolution, UPLC-TOF MS was shown to offer a comparable
level of reliability and precision as the high resolution FT-ICR MS.
Additionally, the impacts of ozonation (35 mg/L utilized ozone dose)
and subsequent NAs degradation on OSPW toxicity were assessed via
a collection of organisms and toxicity end points using Vibrio fischeri (nonspecific), specific fish macrophage
antimicrobial responses, and fish olfactory responses. Fish macrophages
exposed to ozonated OSPW for 1 week showed higher production of reactive
oxygen and nitrogen intermediates; however, after 12 weeks the responses
were reduced significantly. Fish olfactory tests suggested that OSPW
interfered with their perception of odorants. Current results indicate
that the quantification of NAs species, using novel analytical methods,
can be combined with various toxicity methods to assess the efficiency
of OSPW treatment processes