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.
Whole tissues analyzed for the full suite of forensic oil hydrocarbons revealed weathering patterns and purging processes. The transcriptome of adductor muscle tissue showed multi-pathway effects and timing in gene activities related to the detoxification and recovery processes.
In multiple pathways, gene activities did not return to reference-site levels, suggesting that recovery from hydrocarbons was not complete by the final sampling. This may have been due to residual sheening prolonging recovery.
Genes that could potentially distinguish between ANS crude oil and harbor contaminants (pyrogenics and diesel) were identified with the goal of developing more robust monitoring tools.