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Toxic chemicals and abnormalities in fish and shellfish from urban bays of puget sound
Marine Environmental Research 14 (1984) 527-528
Toxic Chemicals and Abnormalities in Fish and Shellfish from Urban Bays of Puget Sound D o n a l d C. Malins, Bruce B. McCain, M a r k S. Myers, D o n a l d W. Brown, Albert K. Sparks, Joseph F. M o r a d o & H a r o l d O. Hodgins Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center, Environmental Conservation Division, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
Fish obtained from heavily polluted sediments near Seattle, Tacoma and Everett in Washington State were shown to be inflicted with liver neoplasms (hepatocellular carcinomas and cholangiocellular carcinomas) and other serious diseases. The severity of the problem is illustrated by the fact that more than 80 ~,~ of the bottom-dwelling fish captured from the Everett Harbor had serious liver lesions. Statistical tests showed positive correlations between chemical concentrations (e.g. of hydrocarbons and metals) in sediments and diseases in fish from the urban areas, but still the actual causes of the observed diseases are not known. English sole (Parophrys t'etulus) from non-urban areas in Puget Sound had significantly lower concentrations of most chemicals than did sole from the urban waterways, and were virtually free of liver disease. The majority of the chemicals identified in the polluted sediments (e.g. chlorinated organic compounds, such as hexachlorobenzene and chlorinated butadienes) were not found in salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) caught from heavily polluted areas of Tacoma's Commencement Bay and Seattle's Elliott Bay, and histological examinations gave no indication of diseases of this species. Thus the bottom-dwelling fish appear to be especially at risk from toxic chemicals, probably because of their close associations with and prolonged exposures to contaminated sediment. A variety of lesions were also found in Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister) from the Everett Harbor and other urban areas of Puget Sound. 527
528
DonaM C. Malins
et al.
Virtually all crabs from the Everett Harbor had one or more lesions (e.g. necrosis, granulomas and melanized nodules) of the gills, hepatopancreas, midgut, bladder and antennal gland--sites of particular interest because they are portals of entry or absorption, storage and excretion of toxic chemicals. Ongoing laboratory studies on cause/effect relationships were also discussed. In addition, the generic application of the Puget Sound findings and approaches to the understanding of cause/effect relationships in polluted marine environments was considered, together with possibilities for future study.
Toxic Chemicals and Abnormalities in Fish and Shellfish from Urban Bays of Puget Sound D o n a l d C. Malins, Bruce B. McCain, M a r k S. Myers, D o n a l d W. Brown, Albert K. Sparks, Joseph F. M o r a d o & H a r o l d O. Hodgins Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center, Environmental Conservation Division, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
Fish obtained from heavily polluted sediments near Seattle, Tacoma and Everett in Washington State were shown to be inflicted with liver neoplasms (hepatocellular carcinomas and cholangiocellular carcinomas) and other serious diseases. The severity of the problem is illustrated by the fact that more than 80 ~,~ of the bottom-dwelling fish captured from the Everett Harbor had serious liver lesions. Statistical tests showed positive correlations between chemical concentrations (e.g. of hydrocarbons and metals) in sediments and diseases in fish from the urban areas, but still the actual causes of the observed diseases are not known. English sole (Parophrys t'etulus) from non-urban areas in Puget Sound had significantly lower concentrations of most chemicals than did sole from the urban waterways, and were virtually free of liver disease. The majority of the chemicals identified in the polluted sediments (e.g. chlorinated organic compounds, such as hexachlorobenzene and chlorinated butadienes) were not found in salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) caught from heavily polluted areas of Tacoma's Commencement Bay and Seattle's Elliott Bay, and histological examinations gave no indication of diseases of this species. Thus the bottom-dwelling fish appear to be especially at risk from toxic chemicals, probably because of their close associations with and prolonged exposures to contaminated sediment. A variety of lesions were also found in Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister) from the Everett Harbor and other urban areas of Puget Sound. 527
528
DonaM C. Malins
et al.
Virtually all crabs from the Everett Harbor had one or more lesions (e.g. necrosis, granulomas and melanized nodules) of the gills, hepatopancreas, midgut, bladder and antennal gland--sites of particular interest because they are portals of entry or absorption, storage and excretion of toxic chemicals. Ongoing laboratory studies on cause/effect relationships were also discussed. In addition, the generic application of the Puget Sound findings and approaches to the understanding of cause/effect relationships in polluted marine environments was considered, together with possibilities for future study.