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Assessing the Potential Risk of Oil-Field Produced Waters Using a Battery of Bioassays/Biomarkers

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Abstract

A battery of in vitro bioassays was conducted to assess the potential risks of organic extracts from oilfield produced wastewaters and from the receiving waters. In SOS/umu bioassay for the genotoxicity, our results showed that direct and indirect genotoxic substances were observed and metabolic activation greatly enhanced the genotoxic effects. In Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase bioassay, levels of AhR-agonists, expressed as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalences, varied from 13.3 to 16.7 pg L−1. We conclude that oilfield produced wastewater contains substantial quantity of indirect genotoxic substances exclusive of AhR agonists. Both genotoxic and AhR agonistic chemicals could not be effectively removed by the treatment processes.

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Acknowledgment

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20621703, 50538090).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Shuangqing Rd 18, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, People’s Republic of China

    Jian Li, Mei Ma, Qing Cui & Zijian Wang

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  1. Jian Li
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  2. Mei Ma
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  3. Qing Cui
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  4. Zijian Wang
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Correspondence to Zijian Wang.

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Li, J., Ma, M., Cui, Q. et al. Assessing the Potential Risk of Oil-Field Produced Waters Using a Battery of Bioassays/Biomarkers. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 80, 492–496 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-008-9465-y

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