Effect of oil and dispersant on the morphology of dinoflagellate Karenia brevis

The south Texas coast experienced a bloom of dinoflagellate Karenia brevis in September of 2015. Samples of this natural plankton community were collected from the Corpus Christi Shipping Channel and exposed to 10ppm concentrations of dispersed oil. The morphological response of Karenia brevis cells following exposure to a 10ppm treatment of dispersed crude oil was observed using a continuous imaging flow cytometer (FlowCAM). The Equivalent Spherical Diameter (ESD), aspect ratio and circle fit were some of the measured parameters.