The Effects of Oil Pollution on Free-living Ciliates

Authors: ESMIRA ASADULLAYEVA, ILHAM ALEKPEROV

Abstract: For the first time the effects of oil pollution on free-living ciliates at community level and also at cellular level were studied at the same time. The effects of various oil concentrations from two oil fields (Sangachal and Guneshli) on psammophile and periphyton ciliates were studied. As a result, the parameters using the oil pollution biotesting with the help of these test systems were determined. Oil from the Guneshli oil field was determined to be more toxic. The effects of oil pollution on the physiological parameters of 4 ciliate species - Frontonia marina, Oxytricha fallax, Strombidium conicum, and Euplotes harpa were studied also. The sensitivity of Strombidium conicum to oil pollution was determined and such species were suggested as new reliable sensitive species.

Keywords: Psammophile and periphyton ciliates, Biotesting.

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