Letter to the Editor: COMMENT ON ‘‘TOXICITY OF WEATHERED EXXON VALDEZ CRUDE OIL TO PINK SALMON EMBRYOS’’

Authors

Ron A. Heintz, National Marine Fisheries
Jeffrey W. Short, National Marine Fisheries
Stanley D. Rice, National Marine Fisheries
Mark G. Carls, National Marine Fisheries

Date of this Version

2008

Comments

Published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (2008) 27:7, pp. 1475–1476

Abstract

We take issue with an article by Brannon et al. in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry questioning the validity of our work on the toxicity of petroleum-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the early life stages of fish. Beginning in 1997, we published a series of articles demonstrating adverse effects in response to PAH exposure at concentrations in the low parts per billion. Based on their attempt to reproduce our results, Brannon et al. argue that the effects we described were an artifact caused by contact with PAH-laden oil microdroplets instead of dissolved PAHs and, therefore, that our results likely are not applicable to most field situations. The arguments advanced by Brannon et al. are flawed for a number of reasons, and we stand by our published work.