Project information
Project aim
This project assesses ecological risks of oil contaminants associated with fuel use in Antarctic waters by determining the behaviour and bioavailability of chemical components of fuels, and assessing their toxicity to sensitive early life stages of Antarctic marine invertebrates. Large quantities of fuels are transported and used in Antarctic shipping operations and stored for research station operations, but fuel behaviour in Antarctic waters and impacts of fuel spills on marine biota are largely unknown. This project will provide a scientific basis for better managing fuel carriage and transfer in the Antarctic and for developing spill contingency plans.
Related publications
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Impacts of petroleum fuels on fertilisation and development of the Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 39(12), 2020
(Ref: 16422)
Authors:Category 1: Peer-reviewed literature
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Lethal and behavioral impacts of diesel and fuel oil on the Antarctic amphipod Paramoera walkeri Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 36(9), 2017
(Ref: 16311)
Authors:Category 1: Peer-reviewed literature
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Assessing fuel spill risks in polar waters: Temporal dynamics and behaviour of hydrocarbons from Antarctic diesel, marine gas oil and residual fuel oil Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2016
(Ref: 15783)
Category 1: Peer-reviewed literature
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Reproduction, growth and early life history of the Antarctic gammarid amphipod Paramoera walkeri Polar Biology, 2015
(Ref: 15567)
Authors:Category 1: Peer-reviewed literature
The gammarid Paramoera walkeri is one of the most abundant amphipods in near-shore Antarctic waters. There has been increasing interest in P. walkeri as a test species for ecotoxicology studies and bio-monitoring for contaminants in Antarctica…
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Sensitivity of the Antarctic amphipod Paramoera walkeri to diesel and fuel oil: Lethal and behavioural impacts Strategic Science in Antarctica Conference, Hobart, Australia, 24-26 June 2013, 2013
(Ref: 15568)
Category 3: Verbal presentation
One of the serious threats to the Antarctic marine ecosystem is the release of large volumes of petroleum fuel. Numerous fuel spill incidents have occurred and risks of a major spill are increasing due to continued expansion of human activity in the Antarctic region.