Influence of salinity on PAH uptake from water soluble fraction of crude oil in Tilapia mossambica

Accidents during marine transport and offshore production facilities often are responsible for oil spills in the open sea. In few cases, these oil slicks drift towards the shore and further into the estuaries, which serve as an important spawning and nursing grounds for many fish species. This study examined the role of salinity in the uptake and accumulation of toxic PAH from crude oil in select somatic and reproductive organs of Tilapia mossambica. Our results showed significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.01) lower PAH solubility in higher salinity waters and its uptake by fish. The differences were largest with the low molecular weight (LMW) two (naphthalenes) and three (phenanthrene) ring compounds as compared with higher molecular weight (HMW) compounds such as pyrene (four ringed).