Effects on biochemical response in feral flounder and rockfish from Taean area after the M/V Hebei Spirit oil spill

Abstract

On 7th, December 2007, M/V Hebei Spirit spilled more than 12,000 kilo liters of three kinds of crude oils into the West coast of Korea where various aquaculture and fisheries activities have been done. Hanging culture of oysters and in-land fish aquaculture facilities were directly affected by fresh crude oil. In addition, there was growing concern of wild fish whether they were contaminated and affected by spilled oil. Thus, both chemical analysis of fish bile and measurement of biochemical response in wild fish caught around spillage site have been done. Biomarkers were selected in order to evaluate toxic affection on hepatic detoxification system exposed to PAHs. Ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and cytochrome P-450 1A (CYP1A) expression in flounder and rockfish were measured 5 days, 22 days, 35 days and 53 days after the oil spill in Euhang-Ri, Taean. We investigated the uptake of PAHs in fish bile metabolites by synchronous fluorescence spectrometry, and compared its levels with enzymatic biomarker change in two resident marine species in Taean. Fish bile showed highly increased 1-OH-pyrene levels four days after the oil spill. PAHs metabolite contents were different between two fish species which may come from the different habitat and behavior, sensitivity and metabolic process. Hence, risk assessment of the actual impact of spilled oil to fish should consider these essential biological and ecological factors.