Toxicity of coal-tar pavement sealants and ultraviolet radiation to Ambystoma Maculatum

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can affect amphibians in lethal and many sublethal ways. There are many natural and anthropogenic sources of PAHs in aquatic environments. One potentially significant source is run off from surfaces of parking lots and roads that are protected with coal tar sealants. Coal tar is 50% or more PAH by wet weight and is used in emulsions to treat these surfaces. Break down of sealants can result in contamination of nearby waters. The toxicity of PAHs can be greatly altered by simultaneous exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This study exposes larvae of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) to determine if coal tar sealant can have negative effects on aquatic amphibians and if coal tar toxicity is influenced by ultraviolet radiation. Spotted salamanders were exposed to 0, 60, 280 and 1500 mg coal tar sealant/kg sediment for 28 days. Half of the animals were exposed to conventional fluorescent lighting only and half were exposed to fluorescent lighting plus ultraviolet radiation. No significant mortality occurred during the experiment. Exposure to sealants resulted in slower rates of growth, and diminished ability to swim in a dose-dependent fashion. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation affected the frequencies of leukocytes and increased the incidence of micronucleated erythrocytes. There was an interactive effect of sealant and radiation on swimming behavior. We conclude that coal-tar sealant and ultraviolet radiation increased sublethal effects in salamanders, and may be a risk to salamanders under field conditions.