Variations in the V and Ni content in mussels after the Prestige spill

VERTIMAR-2005VERTIMAR-2005SYMPOSIUM ON MARINE ACCIDENTAL OIL SPILLSSYMPOSIUM ON MARINE ACCIDENTAL OIL SPILLS

Vigo, Spain, 13-16 July 2005Vigo, Spain, 13-16 July 2005

VERTIMAR-2005VERTIMAR-2005SYMPOSIUM ON MARINE ACCIDENTAL OIL SPILLSSYMPOSIUM ON MARINE ACCIDENTAL OIL SPILLS

Vigo, Spain, 13-16 July 2005Vigo, Spain, 13-16 July 2005

V. Besada, F. Schultze, J.A. Soriano, L. Viñas, A. Franco,

B. Cambeiro, J.J. González

Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, 36280 Vigo, Spain

Introduction

The 13th of November 2002 and during the following months, the tanker Prestige released part of the 77.000 t of fuel

The Galician and Cantabrian Spanish coast were more of less impacted by the fuel spill

The concentrations of V and Ni in the Prestige fuel were 170 ± 5 mg/kg and 55 ± 1 mg/kg for V and Ni respectively

Objectives of the study

Estimate in Corrubedo and Punta Insua, two of the most affected areas by the fuel spill, the temporal evolution of the concentrations of vanadium and nickel in wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) during two years after Prestige accident

Observe the relation of V and Ni with the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations

Sampling

4000 m

13° 12° 11° 10° 9°

43°

42°

PUNTA INSUA

CORRUBEDO

vessel broke in two

Drifting vessel

13/11/02

Sampling

The wild mussel was chosen as a pollution indicator, as this is a sedentary species, has a wide geographic distribution, has enough size, is easy to sample and easily accumulates pollutants, reflecting the environmental conditions of the area in which it lives

Analyses were made in pools of mussel soft tissue containing 50 individuals minimum, representing all sizes present in the sampling point. The homogenates were triturated with Ultraturrax and freeze-dried. The samples were homogenized again and stored until their analysis.

Chemical Analysis and Quality Control

The analysis of trace metals includes a nitric acid digestion in a microwave and V and Ni were analyzed by ETAAS with Zeeman background correction.

After Soxhlet extraction followed by extract cleaning using column chromatography with desactivated alumina, 13 PAHs have been determined using high performance liquid chromatography, with wavelength-programmable fluorescence detector.

The laboratory internal QC includes duplicate samples ,the use of certified reference materials as well as participation in international intercomparison exercises, such as QUASIMEME, on a regular basis.

Comparison of V and Ni with other elements

Corrubedo

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

October 2000 February 2003 June 2003 November 2003 April 2004 July 2004

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t

Cadmium Lead Mercury Nickel Vanadium

Punta Insua

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

October 2000 February 2003 June 2003 November 2003 April 2004 July 2004

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t

Cadmium Lead Mercury Nickel Vanadium

Comparative evolution of V and PAHs

Comparative evolution of V and PAHs

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

October 2000 February 2003 June 2003 November 2003 April 2004 July 2004

V (

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

Su

m 1

3 P

AH

s (

µg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)Vanadium

Sum 13 PAHs

Corrubedo

Comparative evolution of V and PAHs

Comparative evolution of V and PAHs

Punta Insua

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

October 2000 February 2003 June 2003 November 2003 April 2004 July 2004

V (

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Su

m 1

3 P

AH

s (

µg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)

Vanadium

Sum 13 PAHs

Comparative evolution of Ni and PAHs

Comparative evolution of Ni and PAHs

Corrubedo

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

October 2000 February 2003 June 2003 November 2003 April 2004 July 2004

Ni (

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

Su

m 1

3 P

AH

s (

µg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)

Nickel

Sum 13 PAH

Comparative evolution of Ni and PAHs

Comparative evolution of Ni and PAHs

Punta Insua

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

October 2000 February 2003 June 2003 November 2003 April 2004 July 2004

Ni (

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Su

m 1

3 P

AH

s (

µg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t)

Nickel

Sum 13 PAH

Summary No variations in the metals concentrations usually analysed in the National Monitoring were observed due to the Prestige

When comparing the evolution in the V and sum PAHs concentrations along the different sampling surveys, a temporal difference of 4-6 months between the occurrence of the maximum of sum PAHs levels and the maximum of V has been shown.

For V and Sum PAHs the concentrations in the mussels decrease quickly, getting to normal values in some months after the accident

Summary

The Prestige influence is not clearly

showed in the temporal evolution of the Ni concentrations.

A. Dufour has reported a similar evolution after the Erika spill

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology for the financial support (VEM2003-20068-C05-03).