Misund_edit.qxp 24/10/08 11:37 Page 64
ater
Does the Discharge of Alkylphenols in Produced Water Cause
Oestrogenic Endocrine Disruption Among Fish in the North Sea?
a report by
Sonnich Meier, H Craig Morton and Ole Arve Misund
Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Bergen, Norway
HSE – Produced W
Produced water (PW) discharges increase as North Sea oilfields age. of long-chain APs (octyl- and nonylphenols), which are degradation
PW is a mixture of formation water, condensation water, injection products of non-ionic surfactants known as AP-ethoxylates. More
water and water used for desalting oil. As oilfields age, the amount recently, it has been shown that APs with shorter chain lengths
of water injected into the reservoir to help maintain reservoir can also bind to the oestrogen receptor and produce mild
pressure increases. Many oilfields in the North Sea are approaching oestrogenic effects.
2
the end of their productive lives and the amount of water injected
into the reservoirs has increased rapidly, resulting in a huge increase Table 1 shows the concentration of APs in PW from seven
in the amount of PW discharged into the sea. From 1990 to 2006 Norwegian oil production platforms. The PW samples contained high
the annual discharge of PW from the Norwegian sector increased concentrations of the most water-soluble APs (C1–C3) in the
from 10 million to 162 million m
3
(see Figure 1); together with milligrams per litre range, but because solubility drops off sharply as
PW from the British, Danish and Dutch sectors, the total amount chain length increases, the concentrations of long-chain APs
of PW released into the North Sea is estimated to be more than 500 (C4–C8) were 1,000-fold lower.
3
million m
3
per year. This enormous increase led the Norwegian
government to fund a research programme to investigate the PW discharged from oil production platforms is quickly diluted.
potential biological effects of PW in the marine environment. Since Computer simulations suggest that PW is diluted at least 30 times
1997, the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Bergen, Norway, has by the time it is 10m from the discharge point, and approximately
carried out several long-term studies on fish in order to better 100 times by the time it reaches 100m from the discharge point.
understand the biological effects of the chemicals found in PW, Further dilution occurs more slowly, and modelling suggests that a
especially alkylphenols (APs). 1:1,000 dilution is reached by approximately 1,000m from the
platform.
4
Results from modelling and field measurements indicate
APs are natural components of crude oil,
1
and as a result of their that concentrations of dispersed oil in the 1–3ppb range
solubility in water high concentrations are still present in the (corresponding to an approximate dilution of 1:10,000) can be
aqueous phase after oil/water separation. Therefore, oil production found in a 50–100km zone around the largest oil fields in the
platforms release large amounts of APs into the seas via PW. North Sea.
5
APs have been shown to mimic the effects of the natural female sex
hormone oestrogen, resulting in disruption of the endocrine and Effects of Alkylphenols on Sex Maturation in the
reproductive systems. Previously, the main focus was on the effects Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)
We exposed Atlantic cod to a mixture of long-chain APs (C4–C7), via
their feed, for one to five months during sexual maturation, then
Sonnich Meier is a chemist in the Marine Environment
Quality Research Group at the Institute of Marine
analysed reproductive success. We examined gonad development,
Research (IMR) in Norway. He was responsible for
natural hormone levels and a number of different protein
several of the experimental projects mentioned in
biomarkers. In addition, exposed fish were allowed to spawn, and
the article. Dr Meier holds a PhD from the University
of Bergen.
embryo development of the second generation was studied. We
found that even very low levels of APs, corresponding to a seawater
E:
sonnich.meier@imr.no
concentration of 40ng/l, affected the cod’s reproductive system.
H Craig Morton is an immunologist in the Marine
Environment Quality Research Group at the Institute
However, we have also shown that the effects are only partly caused
of Marine Research (IMR) in Norway. His research
by the direct oestrogenic effects of APs. The oestrogenic effects of
interests include the effects of oil on the immune
APs were studied by analysing the expression levels of the yolk sac
system of fish. Dr Morton holds a PhD from the
University of Sheffield.
protein vitellogenin (VTG). VTG is normally expressed by female fish
only during egg development, but it can also be found in male
fish exposed to oestrogen or oestrogenic compounds. AP exposure
gave a weak induction of VTG levels in male cod, showing that APs
Ole Arve Misund is a Research Director at the Institute
of Marine Research (IMR) in Norway, where he is
have direct oestrogenic effects in male fish. However, the most
responsible for the Institute’s research programmes.
significant effects result from disruption of the natural hormone
He is involved in advisory processes on fisheries and
balance in the fish. It was found that female cod exposed to APs
ocean management and in the development of marine
research in Norway. His research interests include fish
downregulated their natural production of oestrogen, resulting in
behaviour, abundance estimation, fisheries technology
delays in ovary development and spawning times.
6
Cod normally
and environmental influences on fish and fisheries.
spawn in the spring when sufficient amounts of plankton for the
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© TOUCH BRIEFINGS 2008
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