James R. Payne Archives | Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council

Executive Summary Of Effects Of The April 2020 Oil Spill Detected In Study Of Mussel Genes

On April 12, 2020, a minor oil spill was reported at the Valdez Marine Terminal (VMT) in Port Valdez, Alaska. An estimated 1,400 gallons (~34 barrels) of Alaska North Slope (ANS) crude oil overflowed from an onshore sump well and subsequently reached the shoreline, creating slicks and necessitating a full-scale marine cleanup response. Recognizing a “spill of opportunity,” the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council’s (PWSRCAC) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) initiated a special project to measure oil exposures and genetic response in shoreline mussels from
this spill.

Transcriptomic responses to an Alaskan oil spill over time reveal a dynamic multisystem involvement in exposed mussels (Mytilus trossulus)

In response to a minor shoreline spill in Port Valdez, AK, a time series of mussels (M. trossulus) was collected and analyzed for oil burdens and transcriptome response. In general, transcription results show that following higher levels of tissue PAH burdens, significant physiological responses occurred.

Long Term Environmental Monitoring Program 2021 Summary Report

This document is a summary report for 28th year of Long Term Environmental Monitoring Program.

Full Report: Mussel Chemistry and Transcriptomic Response after a Minor Alaskan Oil Spill

For this report, researchers analyzed mussels for oil concentrations and genetic response to the April 2020 spill, both near and far away from the spill site.