Fish Fingerprinting: Identifying Crude Oil Pollutants using Bicyclic Sesquiterpanes (Bicyclanes) in the Tissues of Exposed Fish

• DOI: 10.1002/etc.5489
• Publication Date: 2022-09-27T12:24:47Z
• Authors: Francis D. Spilsbury; Alan G. Scarlett; Steven J. Rowland; Robert K. Nelson; Gemma Spaak; Kliti Grice; Marthe Monique Ga...
• Keywords: Barramundi

In the present study, we investigated possibility of identifying source oils exposed fish using ratios bicyclic sesquiterpane (bicyclane) chemical biomarkers. event an oil spill, identification oil(s) for assessment, or litigation purposes, typically uses diagnostic biomarkers to produce characteristic "fingerprints." Although this has been applied in residues sediments, water, and sessile filtering organisms, so far as are aware never successfully demonstrated oil-exposed fish. a 35-day laboratory trial, juvenile Lates calcarifer (barramundi Asian seabass) were exposed, via diet (1% w/w), either heavy fuel Montara, Australian medium crude oil. Two-dimensional gas chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry chromatography-mass then used measure selected bicyclanes examine whether statistically reproducibly conserved tissues. Six bicyclane showed high correlation (r2 > 0.98) those each two oils. A linear discriminatory analysis model that nine different petroleum products could be discriminated these ratios. The was correctly identify profiles exposure adipose tissue extracts 18 fed oil-enriched diets. From our initial appear show good potential providing reliable forensic fingerprints sources contamination Further research is needed investigate minimum times required bioaccumulation achieve detectable concentrations tissues determine depuration rates once ceased. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:7-18. © 2022 Authors. Environmental Toxicology Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf SETAC.