This report examines the potential for photoenhanced toxicity of spilled oil in Prince William Sound and associated Gulf of Alaska waters. Photoenhanced toxicity is the increase in the toxicity of a chemical in the presence of ultraviolet light (UV), compared to a standard laboratory test conducted with fluorescent lighting (minimal UV). Oil products and weathered oil are phototoxic, as are specific polycyclic aromatic compounds present in oil. Photoenhanced toxicity may occur through two processes: photomodification and photosensitization, which are further detailed in the report.
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Hydrocarbon Toxicity