Impacts arising from investigation of Deepwater Horizon crude oil spill effects on tunas

Impact: Environmental, Economic, Health and wellbeing

Narrative

Our work determined the effect of the oil spill on tunas. We showed that the PAH pollutant phenanthrene caused cardiac dysfunction in fish which impacts fitness-related activities like migration, reproduction and foraging.

Stratus Consulting (the management company for teams working on oil toxicity for pelagic species) estimates 1/3 of the 8.8 billion USD settlement from British Petroleum was based on the evidence we gathered.

Understanding the effects on fish has provided sentinel insight for the impact of PAH pollution in air and human cardiovascular toxicity.
Impact date2015
Category of impactEnvironmental, Economic, Health and wellbeing
Impact levelBenefit

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Sustainable Futures
  • Manchester Environmental Research Institute

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