Effect of non-petroleum oil spills on wintering birds near Vancouver

Assessment of sediment toxicity during anaerobic biodegradation of vegetable oil using Microtox® and Hyalella azteca bioassays

“…The accidental release of nonpetroleum substances, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, into inland-and-offshore waters is relatively common in North America (EPA, 1997). Although vegetable oils do not contain the acutely toxic compounds that are present in crude oil and refined petroleum products (e.g., aromatic hydrocarbons), vegetable oil spills can have harmful effects on sensitive aquatic organisms and ecosystems (CrumpWiesner and Jennings, 1975;McKelvey et al, 1980;Mudge, 1995). The most common effects include oiling of aquatic animals, depletion of dissolved oxygen from the water column, and mortality of sessile animals (CrumpWiesner and Jennings, 1975;Mudge et al, 1993;Mudge, 1995;Calanog et al, 1999;Pereira et al, 2002Pereira et al, , 2003b.…”

Biodegradation of Natural Oils in Seawater

“…Vegetable oil that escaped while being transferred through a pumping station to a tanker at Neptune Bulk Terminals reached Vancouver's Stanley Park and contaminated birds in the harbor (ENS, 2000). Canola and other vegetable oil spills have resulted in massive losses in marine birds (McKelvey et al, 1980;Anon, 1994). The impact and persistent of the product on pelagic and benthic marine organisms are not known.…”

Biodegradation Patterns and Toxicity of the Constituents of Canola Oil

“…Even though the size and frequency of vegetable oil spills are relatively lower than those of petroleum ones, the effects are still comparable. McKelvey et al (1980) reported on three small spills of canola oil that caused greater damage to the bird 3 population in the Vancouver Harbor than 176 spills of petroleum oils over a 5-year period (1974)(1975)(1976)(1977)(1978). Some researchers have shown that animals are even more vulnerable to vegetable oils than petroleum oils (Boyd, 1973).…”