Discharge of drill cuttings in the Arctic seas and responses of bottom fauna: bivalve Mytilus edulis L.

Abstract Drill cuttings are the largest solid waste of drilling operations. Onsite discharge of drill cuttings into the marine environment is relevant and can be permitted under certain conditions and regulations. Environmental impact of the on-site discharge of drill cuttings is poorly understood for the Arctic shelf. A risk assessment of the discharge is required and the related biological effects are estimated in bioassays on various local species. The sublethal screening tests of water-soluble fraction of drill cutting (WSF DC) were performed on a test-organism of the Barents Sea coast, blue mussel, Mytilus edulis . Physiological (oxygen consumption and filtration rates) and behavioral (shell gaping) activity of mussels was affected by the tested WSF DC above the certain threshold concentration. In general, biological effects of WSF DC might be assumed as a toxic stress of low intensity. Behavioral responses are the most sensitive in blue mussels and behavior of this sentinel organism is to be applied as a reliable indicator of environmental stress. Environmental impact from the drill cuttings of water based drilling fluid appears to be less toxic-stressful for M. edulis and many other bottom invertebrates than it might be expected from release of some drilling fluids.