Estimation of hemosiderosis in seabirds and fish exposed to petroleum.

Many seabirds die each year after exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons (Piatt and Lensink 1990; Khan and Ryan 1991). Crude oil, following ingestion, induces hemolytic anemia which occurs 4 to 5 d later (Leighton et al. 1983). A recent study reported the presence of hemosiderin in the liver of common murres (Uria aalge) at intervals up to 42 d after oil-contamination (Khan and Ryan 1991). Hemosiderosis has also been reported in plaice, Pleuronectes platessa, following the Amoco Cadiz oil spill off the coast of France (Haensly et al. 1982) and after experimental exposure of Atlantic cod, _Gadus morhua, and longhorn sculpin, _Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus, to petroleum (Khan and Kiceniuk 1984; Khan 1991).