Embryo aberrations in sea ice amphipod Gammarus wilkitzkii exposed to water soluble fraction of oil

Offshore oil and gas activities have gained momentum in the European Arctic, raising concerns of the potential impact of oil-related chemicals on the polar marine ecosystem, notably on sea ice communities. Herein, malformations on embryos of the Arctic sea ice amphipod Gammarus wilkitzkii exposed to the water soluble fraction of oil were studied. The females ranged from development stage three to nine. No differences in reproductive stage were observed among the different treatments after 30 days of exposure. Frequency of embryo aberrations was significantly higher in the high-dose compared to controls, indicating that the embryos of G. wilkitzkiii were affected by oil. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.