An experimental soft-release of oil-spill rehabilitated American coots (Fulica americana): II. Effects on health and blood parameters

Changes in white cell estimates and plasma chemistry measurements following oral or external dosing of double-crested cormorants, Phalacocorax auritus , with artificially weathered MC252 oil

“…Changes in clinically relevant biochemical endpoints associated with toxicity of artificially weathered MC252 oil were observed using both dosing methods. Changes including increased phosphorus, urea and uric acid concentrations and decreased total protein, albumin, and A:G ratio indicative of organ dysfunction were observed in both experiments and are consistent with previous studies (Hartung and Hunt, 1966;Szaro et al, 1978;Patton and Dieter, 1980;Eastin and Rattner, 1982;Fleming et al, 1982;Pattee and Franson, 1982;Fry and Lowenstein, 1985;Lee et al, 1986;Leighton et al, 1985;Leighton, 1986;Hughes et al, 1990;Yamato et al, 1996;Walton et al, 1997;Newman et al, 2000;Seiser et al, 2000;Troisi et al, 2007). As such it is feasible that there are clinically relevant changes in plasma biochemistries that can be identified for this species, that may be applicable to other oil spills and species.…”

“…Hemolytic anemia is one of the most commonly reported effects of oil ingestion in birds (Hartung and Hunt, 1966;Eastin and Rattner, 1982;Pattee and Franson, 1982;Lee et al, 1986;Leighton et al, 1985;Leighton, 1986;Hughes et al, 1990;Yamato et al, 1996;Walton et al, 1997;Newman et al, 2000;Seiser et al, 2000;Troisi et al, 2007), but itself a marker of oxidative damage. Detoxification and elimination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the body occurs through activation of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) mono-oxygenases in the liver to metabolize lipophilic PAHs into more hydrophilic and reactive oxides and epoxides (Peakall, 1989;Troisi, 2006 }.…”

“…Exposure to oil can also cause an upregulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and cause endocrine disruption (Briggs et al, 1996;Perez et al, 2010). Oiled birds show increases in inflammatory responses, depressions in lymphocyte concentrations and immunosuppression that results in increased susceptibility to secondary infections (Fry and Lowenstine, 1985;Briggs et al, 1997;McOrist and Lenghuas, 1992;Newman et al, 2000). The irritant effects of oil on the gastrointestinal tract, combined with observed decreases in adrenal function (Rattner et al, 1981;Gorsline et al, 1981;Gorsline et al, 1982;Fry and Lowenstine, 1985;Seiser et al, 2000;Newman et al, 2000), make it unsurprising that inflammatory responses are upregulated.…”

“…The irritant effects of oil on the gastrointestinal tract, combined with observed decreases in adrenal function (Rattner et al, 1981;Gorsline et al, 1981;Gorsline et al, 1982;Fry and Lowenstine, 1985;Seiser et al, 2000;Newman et al, 2000), make it unsurprising that inflammatory responses are upregulated. Decreases or increases in lymphocyte and eosinophil concentrations could be indicative of direct effects of oil or reactive oxygen species on white blood cell production; however, inflammatory processes are not fully understood in avian responses to oil (Seiser et al, 2000;Newman et al, 2000;Garcia et al, 2010).…”

Avian Resources of the Northern Gulf of Mexico

“…The effects of oil discharges could be acute (mortality) (Dunnet 1982;Hunt 1987;Burger 1994aBurger , 1997aLance et al 2001;Payne et al 2008;Wiens et al 1996), or chronic, including the effects from operational oil discharges that affect marsh structure (McCauley and Harrel 1981;Mendelssohn et al 1990;Fraser et al 2006). Effects of oil include cessation of growth in chicks, osmoregulatory impairments, hypertrophy of hepatic, adrenal, and nasal gland tissue (Miller et al 1978), reduced thermoregulation (O'Hara and Morandin 2010), reduced survival of chicks (Trivelpiece et al 1984), and changes in hematology and blood chemistry (Newman et al 2000). Macko and King (1980) found that oil from the Libyan crude oil spill in Redfish Bay, Texas (1976) caused significant embryo mortality in Louisiana Heron eggs, but did not affect hatchability of Laughing Gull embryos.…”