The question of continued exposure to oil will be assessed by comparing indicators of exposure to oil and individual health between oiled and unoiled sites. Today, hydrocarbon impacts may still exist. Between 8-16% of the 10.8 million gallons of crude oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez remains buried in marine sediments. Such oil is not subject to degradation by marine organisms and remains in a form that is toxic to many vertebrates. Moreover, microbial analyses suggest that oil in sediments along oiled shorelines is still several orders of magnitude more common than in unoiled sites, suggesting oil may still be available for biological transport from benthic invertebrates through the food chain. In fact, various bioindicator and health measures suggest that continued injury may be occurring among vertebrate predators.
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Last Reviewed: March 26, 2003