Toxicity of oxyPAH to developing red drum (Scianeops ocellatus)

Data includes measures of mitochondrial function, cardiac edema, and corresponding PAH chemistry in control and oil-exposed fish. This study used naturally weathered slick oil from the surface (OFS) collected from surface skimming operations in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Larvae were exposed to a diluted high energy water accommodated fraction (HEWAF) of oil and artificial seawater. Artificial seawater (27.6-28.0 ppt salinity, 25.3-26.7 °C, 7.15-7.16 mg/L DO, pH 8.22-8.30) was used in all control solutions and in preparation of treatment dilutions. Fifty PAH analytes were quantified by ALS Environmental using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy in single-ion monitoring mode (GC/MS-SIM) according to US EPA method 8270D. The experiment was performed using a full factorial design with oil, UV, and exposure time as the effect variables. At each time point (0, 24, 48 h exposure), 3 replicates of 20 larvae were collected for transcriptomic analysis and 2 replicates of 10 larvae were collected for histological analysis. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to stain apoptotic DNA. This assay was performed using the ApopTag Red in situ Apoptosis Detection Kit (Millipore) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Two sections for each larvae (n=6-10 per treatment) were used for the TUNEL assay. Images were taken on an EVOS FL Color Imaging System (Life Technologies) and were analyzed using ImageJ software (version 1.47).