Need to update human health risk assessment protocols for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seafood after oil spills

Abstract

The need to include alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human health risks assessments for oil contaminated seafood after crude oil spills is set forth. This is placed within the context of a brief review of the literature for PAHs and human health risk assessments after oil spills. The example of human health risk assessments for oil contaminated seafood after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is reviewed with the conclusion that PAHs such as alkylated chrysenes/triphenylenes/benzanthracenes should have been included in the human health risk assessment and not dismissed as present in very low concentrations relative to their parent PAHs.

Keywords: Alkylated PAHs; Deepwater Horizon oil spill; Human health risks; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Seafood contamination.