Use of biomarkers to assess the effects of oil pollution on echinoderms

A major source of oil pollution in the North Sea arises from oil production activities. Drill cuttings are a waste product of drilling operations and often contain oil-based drilling muds. Echinoderms are important members of marine communities, often cornerstone species, and tend lo be sensitive to various types of pollution. The response of Amphiura spp. to drill cuttings was examined under laboratory conditions, semi-natural conditions (mesocosms) and in the field. Sublethal stress was monitored using a suite of biomarkers including destabilization of lysosomes, induction of detoxification enzymes (MFO) and changes in tissue loading of symbiotic sub-cuticular bacteria (SCB). When exposed to drill cuttings there was a decrease in lysosome integrity and a decline in SCB loading. Preliminary studies did not detect inducement of MFO enzymes. The potential use of echinoderm biomarkers to detect pollution is discussed