ORCID

Abstract

Offshore produced water (PW) is one of the largest and most chemically complex effluents of waste directly and intentionally discharged into the marine environment. Although it is well known that PW can be severely toxic to marine organisms, the mechanisms of toxicity remain poorly understood, contributed by the lack of comprehensive chemical characterization of the PW. In this study, we applied elements of effects-directed analysis with the aim to identify organic chemical drivers of toxicity in PW towards fish early life stages. A solvent extract of a PW was fractioned based on compound functionality and chemically characterized by a concert of techniques including high-resolution gas and liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. The effect of PW and fractions on survival, development, and cardiotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos was tested. It is evident that embryotoxicity of PW organics cannot be attributed to one compound class. In this study, the fractions primarily containing production chemicals were of low toxicity, whereas both fractions containing petroleum hydrocarbons, and fractions containing oxidation products of these, contributed to toxicity.

Publication Date

2025-07-01

Publication Title

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Volume

44

Issue

7

ISSN

0730-7268

Acceptance Date

2025-04-16

Deposit Date

2026-06-11

Keywords

fish early life stages, petroleum, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, produced water, production chemicals

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

First Page

2004

Last Page

2016

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