Effects of Crude Oil Water Accomodated Fraction on Artemia franciscana and Human Health and Environmental Related Microbes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5132.eec.2026.01.03%20Keywords:
Ecotoxicology, gene expression, oil spill, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Water Accommodated Fraction (WAF)Abstract
Marine pollution caused by crude oil spills poses significant risks to ecosystems and human health due to the toxic components of its water-accommodated fraction (WAF), particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study investigated the toxicological effects of WAF derived from the 2019 oil spill in northeastern Brazil on Artemia franciscana and medically relevant microorganisms (Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Candida tropicalis). The WAF was prepared from oil-soil mixtures at concentrations of 0.16%, 4%, and 100%. GC-MS analysis of the WAF identified 9 of the 16 EPA priority PAHs in the WAF, with ∑PAHs concentrations of ∼20 μg L−1 in distilled water. Acute toxicity endpoints (hatching and mortality rates) for A. franciscana showed no significant effects, while molecular analyses revealed concentration-dependent alterations in the expression of stress-related genes (e.g., P26, Dnmt, Hsp26, Hsp40, Hsp70, and Hsp90). Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed using fluorescence microscopy, no detectable changes were observed, suggesting methodological limitations for this endpoint. Microbial assays demonstrated no significant growth alterations for S. epidermidis and C. tropicalis. However, S. marcescens showed increased growth and colony- forming units at the highest WAF concentration, consistent with its polycyclic hydrocarbon-degrading capabilities seen in the literature. These findings suggest that acute exposure to WAF may not elicit immediate toxicological effects in A. franciscana, but molecular disruptions could affect long-term resilience. The enhanced proliferation of S. marcescens under high WAF concentrations highlights its potential role in bioremediation, albeit with considerations for its opportunistic pathogenicity.
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