Condensate toxicity testing

Physico chemical and hydrocarbon analysis data from ecotoxicology experiments on condensate. Eight tropical species were assessed to predict toxicity sensitivities on exposure to fresh and weathered condensates.

Oil toxicity thresholds applied in risk assessments for oil spills in tropical oceans are often based on thresholds that have been largely based on the sensitivities of temperate and/or freshwater species.

A range of experiments were conducted to determine thresholds for tropical species including

coral larvae (Acropora millepora)

adult coral (Acropora muricata)

sponge (Phyllospongia foliascens)

urchin (Stomopneustes variolaris)

coral symbiont (Cladocopium goreaui)

microalgae (Rhodomonas salina)

snail (Nassarius dorsatus)

barnacle (Amphibalanus Amphitrite)

All tropical marine test species were exposed to various dilutions of a partially weathered gas condensate. The tests were conducted in laboratories and aquaria under artificial light conditions.

All experimental details are described in Negri et al (2021), and extended methods found in the supporting materials.

No effect concentrations (NECs) as well as 10% and 50% effect concentrations (EC10s and EC50s) were estimated from concentration–response curves generated in the R package jagsNEC (Fisher et al., 2020).