Impacts of oil spills on seabirds: Unsustainable impacts of non-renewable energy

Abstract

© 2016 The Authors. Accidental spillage of oil in to the sea from shipping transport and drilling rigs results in spills that cause significant unsustainable mortality of wildlife and destroys marine ecosystem services. External oiling of seabirds causes large scale mortality within days following a spill, while survivors suffercauses long term chronic effects from the exposure to toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in ingested oil. Survival rates for rehabilitated oiled birds are very low despite investment of significant resources. PAHs disturb thyroid homeostasis which plays a vital role in the control of energy metabolism. In this study, plasma PAH and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were quantified as biomarkers of exposure and endocrine disruption in oiled guillemots (Uria aalge). Mean plasma PAH and TSH concentrations, were 98.1 ± 8.3 ng/ml and 0.13 ± 0.02 ng/ml and these parameters were found to be negatively correlated (p < 0.01) indicative of PAH-associated thyroid hormone suppression in more heavily oiled birds. Body condition and weight were also lower in birds that died compared with birds that were released. The data also show the value of measuring plasma TSH and PAH to monitor metabolic status and progress of decontamination of oiled birds in a rehabilitation setting.