Possible ecotoxicological effects of wind turbines 

There is a growing concern that wind farms may contribute to an increased pollution due to leakage of particles eroding from the blades. In addition, it has been shown that the turbines also leak different kind of oils such as hydraulic and gear oils. The aim of this study was to investigate possible ecotoxicological effects of wind turbines.

Particles were collected from moss, water and sediment from lakes adjacent to wind turbine areas as well as from control lakes for particle analysis. To get an indication of possible ecotoxicological effects, perch from lakes in these areas were collected and samples taken for gene expression and histopathological studies. In addition, turbine blades were milled for controlled trials in aquariums with cultured perch. Analyses of particle characterization and chemical content in collected particles is ongoing but particles have been found in environmental samples. Exposure to particles in controlled laboratory experiments had limited effects on the gene expression analyzed in perch but showed effects of thyroid metabolism genes. Similar results were observed in the field collected fish that also displayed unusual fat incorporation in the livers, further analyzed with histopathology.

In order to assess negative effects of wind mill relevant oils, the water accommodated fraction (WAF) of a hydraulic and a gear oil were tested on several relevant models. We exposed fish liver cells (in vitro cell line), zebrafish embryos (FET test) and copepods to a concentration range of both WAFs. Both WAFs showed toxicity with the gear oil derived WAF being much more potent leading to 100% mortality of copepods also when diluted to 0,1% and zebrafish embryos exposed to 5% of the WAF.

Results show that particles and oils potentially leaking from wind turbines might have negative effects on the ecosystem.

Joachim Sturve, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Gothenburg University, Sweden
Karin Mattsson, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Andreas Gondikas, Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Niclas Stensson, Stefan Ljunggren, and Helen Karlsson, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Medicine Centre, Linköping University, Sweden

Poster presentation, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Europe 35th Annual Meeting, 11–15 May 2025, Vienna, Austria