Abstract
Organochlorine chemical residues and elemental contaminants were measured in northern pike (Esox lucius), longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), and burbot (Lota lota) from 10 sites in the Yukon River Basin (YRB) during 2002. Contaminant concentrations were compared to historical YRB data and to toxicity thresholds for fish and piscivorous wildlife from the scientific literature. A risk analysis was conducted to screen for potential hazards to piscivorous wildlife for contaminants that exceeded literature-based toxicity thresholds. Concentrations of total DDT (sum of p,p′-homologs; 1.09–13.6 ng/g), total chlordane (0.67–7.5 ng/g), dieldrin (<0.16–0.6 ng/g), toxaphene (<11–34 ng/g), total PCBs (<20–87 ng/g), TCDD-EQ (≤1.7 pg/g), arsenic (0.03–1.95 μg/g), cadmium (<0.02–0.12 μg/g), copper (0.41–1.49 μg/g), and lead (<0.21–0.27 μg/g) did not exceed toxicity thresholds for growth and reproduction in YRB fish. Concentrations of mercury (0.08–0.65 μg/g), selenium (0.23–0.85 μg/g), and zinc (11–56 μg/g) exceeded toxicity thresholds in one or more samples and were included in the risk analysis for piscivorous wildlife. No effect hazard concentrations (NEHCs) and low effect hazard concentrations (LEHCs), derived from literature-based toxicity reference values and avian and mammalian life history parameters, were calculated for mercury, selenium, and zinc. Mercury concentrations in YRB fish exceeded the NEHCs for all bird and small mammal models, which indicated that mercury concentrations in fish may represent a risk to piscivorous wildlife throughout the YRB. Low risk to piscivorous wildlife was associated with selenium and zinc concentrations in YRB fish. Selenium and zinc concentrations exceeded the NEHCs and LEHCs for only the small bird model. These results indicate that mercury should continue to be monitored and assessed in Alaskan fish and wildlife.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aagaard K, Carmack EC (1989) The role of sea ice and other fresh water in the Arctic circulation. J Geophys Res 94:14,485–14,498
Aguillar A (1984) Relationships of DDE/DDT in marine mammals to the chronology of DDT input into the ecosystem. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 21:840–844
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (2003) Alaska’s Final Draft 2002/2003 integrated water quality monitoring and assessment report, August 2003. Division of Water, Juneau, Alaska
Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (2005) Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys annual report 2004. State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Fairbanks, Alaska
Ambrose RE, Matz A, Swem T, Bente P (2000) Environmental contaminants in American and arctic peregrine falcon eggs in Alaska, 1979–95. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Northern Alaska Ecological Services, NAES-TR-00-02, Fairbanks, Alaska
Anderson DW, Jehl JR Jr, Risebrough RW, Woods LA Jr, DeWeese LR, Edgecomb WG (1975) Brown pelicans: improved reproduction off the southern California Coast. Sci 190:806–808
Ankley GT, Tillitt DE, Giesy JP, Jones PD, Verbrugge DA (1991) Bioassay-derived 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents in PCB-containing extracts from the flesh and eggs of Lake Michigan chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and possible implications for reproduction. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 48:1685–1690
Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (2003) AMAP Assessment 2002: The influence of global change on contaminant pathways to, within, and from the Arctic. AMAP, Oslo
Barr JF (1986) Population dynamics of the common loon (Gavia immer) associated with mercury-contaminated waters in northwestern Ontario. Occasional Paper 56, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario
Barrie LA, Gregor D, Hargrave B, Lake R, Muir D, Shearer R, Tracey B, Bidleman T (1992) Arctic contaminants: sources, occurrence, and pathways. Sci Total Environ 122:1–74
Bidleman TF, Wall MD, Muir DCG, Stern GA (1993) Selective accumulation of polychlorocamphenes in aquatic biota from the Canadian arctic. Environ Toxicol Chem 12:701–710
Blus LJ (1996) DDT, DDD, and DDE in birds. In: Beyer WN, Heinz GH, Redmon-Norwood AW (eds) Environmental contaminants in wildlife: interpreting tissue concentrations. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, pp 49–71
Brabets TP, Wang B, Meade RH (2000) Environmental and hydrologic overview of the Yukon River Basin, Alaska and Canada. US Geological Survey, Water Resources Discipline, WRIR 99-4204, Anchorage, Alaska
Braune B, Muir D, DeMarch B, Gamberg M, Poole K, Currie R, Dodd M, Duschenko W, Eamer J, Elkin B, Evans M, Grundy S, Herbert C, Johnstone R, Kidd K, Koeing B, Lockhart L, Marshall H, Reimer K, Sanderson L, Shutt L (1999) Spatial and temporal trends in contaminants in Canadian Arctic freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems: a review. Sci Total Environ 230:145–207
Brumbaugh WG, Krabbenhoft DP, Helsel DR, Wiener JG, Echols KR (2001) A national pilot study of mercury contamination of aquatic ecosystems along multiple gradients: bioaccumulation in fish. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, BSR-2001-0009, Columbia, Missouri
Buehler DA (2000) Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). In: Poole A, Gill F (eds) The birds of North America Vol. 506. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, pp 1–39
Buhl KJ, Hamilton SJ (1990) Comparative toxicity of inorganic contaminants released by placer mining to early life stages of salmonids. Ecotoxicol Environ Safety 20:325–342
Bury NR, Walker PA, Glover CN (2003) Nutritive metal uptake in teleost fish. J Exp Biol 206:11–23
Cabana G, Tremblay A, Kalff J, Rasmussen JB (1994) Pelagic food chain structure in Ontario lakes: A determinant of mercury levels in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 51:381–389
Eiler JH, Spencer TR, Pella JJ, Masuda MM, Holder RR (2004) Distribution and movement patterns of Chinook salmon returning to the Yukon River basin in 2000, 2002. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Technical Memo NMFS-AFSC-148. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington
Eisler R (1985) Cadmium hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: Asynoptic review. US Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 85(1.2). US Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, Maryland
Eisler R (1990) Chlordane hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: a synoptic review. US Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 85(1.21). US Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, Maryland
Eisler R (1998) Copper hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: a synoptic review. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division Report BSR 1998-0002. US Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland
Eisler R, Jacknow J (1985) Toxaphene hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: A synoptic review. US Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 85 (1.4). US Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, Maryland
Environment Canada (2003) Canadian tissue residue guidelines for the protection of wildlife consumers of aquatic biota: summary table. In: Canadian tissue residue guidelines, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Water Quality Guidelines Task Group, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Available from http://www.ec.gc.ca/ceqg-rcqe (accessed December 2005)
Evans MS, Muir D, Lockhart WL, Stern G, Roach P (2005) Persistent organic pollutants and metals in the freshwater biota of the Canadian Subarctic and Arctic: An overview. Sci Total Environ 351–352:94–147
Gamberg M, Boila G, Stern G, Roach P (2005) Cadmium, mercury, and selenium concentrations in mink (Mustela vison) from Yukon, Canada. Sci Total Environ 351–352:523–529
Gilderhus PA (1966) Some effects of sublethal concentrations of sodium arsenate on bluegills and the aquatic environment. Trans Am Fish Soc 95:289–296
Gooch JW, Matsamura F (1987) Toxicity of chlorinated bornane (toxaphene) residues isolated from Great Lakes lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 16:349–355
Gray JE, Sanzolone RF (1996) Environmental studies of mineral deposits in Alaska. Survey Bulletin 2156. US Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
Hamilton SJ (2004) Review of selenium toxicity in the aquatic food chain. Sci Total Environ 326:1–31
Harder HW, Carter T, Bidleman TF (1983) Acute effects of toxaphene and its sediment-degraded products on estuarine fish. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 40:2119–2125
Heaton SN, Bursian SJ, Giesy JP, Tillitt DE, Render JA, Jones PD, Verbrugge DA, Kubiak TJ, Aulerich RJ (1995) Dietary exposure of mink to carp from Saginaw Bay, Michigan: 2. Hematology and liver pathology. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 29:411–417
Heinz GH (1979) Methylmercury: reproductive and behavioral effects on three generations of mallard ducks. J Wildl Manag 43:394–401
Hinck JE, Bartish TM, Blazer VS, Denslow ND, Gross TS, Myers MS, Anderson PJ, Orazio CE, Tillitt DE (2004a) Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Environmental contaminants and their effect on fish in the Yukon River basin. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, SIR 2004-5285, Columbia, Missouri
Hinck JE, Schmitt CJ, Bartish TM, Denslow ND, Blazer VS, Anderson PJ, Coyle JJ, Dethloff GM, Tillitt DE (2004b) Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Environmental contaminants and their effect on fish in the Columbia River basin. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, SIR 2004-5154, Columbia, Missouri
IJC (International Joint Commission) (1987) Revised Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978. Office of Consolidation United States and Canada, Ottawa, Canada
Jarvinen AW, Ankley GT (1999) Linkage of effects to tissue residues: Development of a comprehensive database for aquatic organisms exposed to inorganic and organic chemicals. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL
Jewett SC, Zhang X, Naidu AS, Kelley JJ, Dasher D, Duffy LK (2003) Comparison of mercury and methylmercury in northern pike and Arctic grayling from western Alaska rivers. Chemosphere 50:383–392
Johnson WL, Finley MT (1980) Handbook of acute toxicity of chemicals to fish and aquatic invertebrates: summaries of toxicity tests conducted at Columbia National Fisheries Research Lab, 1965–78. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC
Kidd KA, Schindler DW, Hesslein RH, Muir DC (1998) Effects of trophic position and lipid on organochlorine concentrations in fishes from subarctic lakes in Yukon Territory. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 55:869–881
Lemly AD (1996) Selenium in aquatic organisms. In: Beyer WN, Heinz GH, Redmon-Norwood AW (eds) Environmental contaminants in wildlife: interpreting tissue concentrations. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, pp 427–445
Lemly AD, (2002) Symptoms and implications of selenium toxicity in fish: The Belews Lake case example. Aquat Toxicol 57:39–49
Lockhart WL, Stern GA, Low G, Hendzel M, Boila G, Roach P, Evans MS, Billeck BN, DeLaronde J, Friesen S, Kidd K, Atkins S, Muir DC, Stoddart M, Stephens G, Stephenson S, Harbicht S, Snowshoe N, Grey B, Thompson S, DeGraff N (2005) A history of total mercury in edible muscle of fish from lakes in northern Canada. Sci Total Environ 351–352:427–463
Macek KJ, Rodgers CR, Stalling DL, Korn S (1970) The uptake, distribution and elimination of dietary 14C-DDT and 14C-Dieldrin in rainbow trout. Trans Am Fish Soc 99:689–695
Mason RP, Abbott ML, Bodaly RA, Bullock OR Jr, Driscoll CT, Evers D, Lindberg SE, Murray M, Swain EB (2005) Monitoring the environmental response to changing atmospheric mercury deposition. Environ Sci Technol 39:14A–22A
Mayer FL Jr, Merhle PM Jr, Dwyer WP (1975) Toxaphene effects on reproduction, growth, and mortality of brook trout. EPA-600/3-75/013. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
Mayer FL Jr, Mehrle PM, Crutcher PL (1978) Interactions of toxaphene and vitamin C in channel catfish. Trans Am Fish Soc 107:326–333
McGreachy SM, Dixon DG (1992) Whole-body arsenic concentrations in rainbow trout during acute exposure to arsenate. Ecotoxicol Environ Safety 24:301–308
Mueller KA, Matz AC (2000) Organochlorine concentrations in burbot (Lota lota) livers from Fairbanks, Alaska, and Kanuti, Tetlin, and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuges, Alaska, 1998. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Northern Alaska Ecological Services, NAES-TR-00-01, Fairbanks, Alaska
Mueller KA, Snyder-Conn E, Scannell PO (1995) Metal and metalloid contaminants in water, sediments, fish, and mammals of Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 1985–1990. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Northern Alaska Ecological Services, NAES-TR-95-02, Fairbanks, Alaska
Muir DCG, de Boer J (1993) Toxaphene: Analytical chemistry. Chemosphere 27:1827–1834
Muir D, Braune B, DeMarch D, Norstrom R, Wagemann R, Lockhart L, Hargrave B, Bright D, Addison R, Payne J, Reimer K (1999) Spatial and temporal trends and effects of contaminants in the Canadian Arctic marine ecosystem: A review. Sci Total Environ 230:83–144
NPS (National Park Service) (2005) Bird species and distributions in Yukon—Charley Rivers National Preserve. Available from http://www.nps.gov/yuch/Expanded/key_resources/birds/inventory.htm (Accessed August 4, 2005)
Newell AJ, Johnson DW, Allen LK (1987) Niagara River biota contamination project: Fish flesh criteria for piscivorous wildlife. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Environmental Protection Technical Report 87-3. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany
Northern Contaminants Program (2003) Canadian Arctic Contaminants Assessment Report Phase II. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon, QS-8526-010-EE-A1
Northern Contaminants Program (2004) Yukon Contaminants Database. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon
Nosek JA, Craven SR, Sullivan JR, Hurley SS, Peterson RE (1992) Toxicity and reproductive effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in ring-necked pheasant hens. J Toxicol Environ Health 35:187–198
Peakall DB (1996) Dieldrin and other cyclodiene pesticides in wildlife. In: Beyer WN, Heinz GH, Redmon-Norwood AW (eds) Environmental contaminants in wildlife: Interpreting tissue concentrations. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, pp 73–98
Ribick MA, Dubay GR, Petty JD, Stalling DL, Schmitt CJ (1982) Toxaphene residues in fish: Identification, quantification, and confirmation at part per billion levels. Environ Sci Technol 16:310–318
Rudd JW (1995) Sources of mercury to freshwater ecosystems: A review. Water Air Soil Pollut 80:697–713
Ryan MJ, Stern GA, Diamond M, Croft MV, Roach P, Kidd K (2005) Temporal trends of organochlorine contaminants in burbot and lake trout from three selected Yukon lakes. Sci Total Environ 351–352:501–522
Salomone P, Bergstrom DJ (2004) Yukon river summer chum Salmon stocks status and action plan. Regional Information Report No. 3A04-03. Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Commercial Fisheries, Anchorage
Sample BE, Opresko DM, Suter GW (1996) Toxicological Benchmarks for Wildlife: 1996 Revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, ES/ER/TM-86/R3
Schmitt CJ (2002) Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Environmental contaminants and their effects on fish in the Mississippi River basin. US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division BSR 2002-0004. US Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri
Schmitt CJ, Dethloff GM, Hinck JE, Bartish TB, Blazer VS, Coyle JJ, Denslow ND, Tillitt DE (2004) Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Environmental contaminants and their effects on fish in the Rio Grande basin. US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division SIR 2004-5108. US Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri
Schmitt CJ, Zajicek JL, May TW, Cowman DF (1999) Organochlorine residues and elemental contaminants in US freshwater fish, 1976–1986: National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 162:43–104
Schumm SA, Winkley BR (1994) The character of large alluvial rivers. In: Schumm SA, Winkley BR (eds) The variability of large alluvial rivers. American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, pp 1–9
Shubat PJ, Curtis LR (1986) Ration and toxicant preexposure influence dieldrin accumulation by rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Environ Toxicol Chem 5:69–77
Snyder-Conn E (1992) Contaminant investigation of fish in Lake Minchumina, Alaska. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Northern Alaska Ecological Services, NAES-TR-92-03, Fairbanks, Alaska
Spehar RL (1976) Cadmium and zinc toxicity to flagfish (Jordanella floridae). J Fish Res Board Canada 33:1939–1945
Stouthart X, Haans J, Lock R, Wendelaar Bonga S (1996) Effects of water pH on copper toxicity to early life stages of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Environ Toxicol Chem 15:376–383
Swackhamer D, Charles J, Hites R (1987) Quantitation of toxaphene in environmental samples using negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 59:913–917
Szumigala DJ, Hughes RA, Harris RH (2003) Alaska’s Mineral Industry 2003. Special Report 58. Division of Geological and Geophysical Survey, Fairbanks, Alaska
Tillitt DE, Giesy JP, Ankley GT (1991) Characterization of the H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay as a tool for assessing toxic potency of planar halogenated hydrocarbons in environmental samples. Environ Sci Technol 25:87–92
Tillitt DE, Gale RW, Meadows JC, Zajicek JL, Peterman PH, Heaton SN, Jones PD, Bursian SJ, Kubiak TJ, Giesy JP, Aulerich RJ (1996) Dietary exposure of mink to carp from Saginaw Bay 3. Characterization of dietary exposure to planar halogenated hydrocarbons, dioxin equivalents, and biomagnification. Environ Sci Technol 30:283–291
Tillitt DE, Schmitt CJ, Weseloh DV, Bunck CM (1998) Organochlorine concentrations and trends in North American fish and wildlife. In: Cary J, Cook P, Giesy J, Hodson P, Muir D, Owens JW, Solomon K (eds) Ecotoxicological risk assessment of the chlorinated organic chemicals. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL
US BLM (Bureau of Land Management) (2002) Final environmental impact statement renewal of the federal grant for the trans-Alaska pipeline system right-of-way. US Bureau of Land Management, BLM/AK/PT-03/005+2880+990, Washington DC
US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) (1993) Wildlife exposure factors handbook. Office of Health and Environmental Assessment and Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC. EPA/600/R093/187
US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) (1998) EPA superfund record of decision amendment: Eielson Air Force Base, EPA ID AK1570028646. Fairbanks, Alaska, EPA/AMD/R10-98/185
US FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) (1986) Trace elements from placer mining in Alaskan streams are toxic to young salmonids. Research Information Bulletin #98. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska
US FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) (1991) Young salmon are sensitive to arsenite and mercury released by placer mining activities. Research Information Bulletin #30. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska
US FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) (2005) National Wildlife Refuges—Alaska Region. Available from http://alaska.fws.gov/internettv/nwrtv/maptv.htm (Accessed August 4, 2005)
West RL, Deschu NA (1984) Kantishna Hills heavy metals investigations, Denali National Park, 1983. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Interagency Agreement with the National Park Service 14-16-007-85-5524
Wiener JG, Krabbenhoft DP, Heinz GH, Scheuhammer AM (2002) Ecotoxicology of mercury. In: Hoffman DJ, Rattner BA, Burton GA Jr, Cairns J Jr (eds) Handbook of Ecotoxicology, 2nd ed. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL
Whyte JJ, Schmitt CJ, Tillitt DE (2004) The H4IIE cell bioassay as an indicator of dioxin-like chemicals in wildlife and the environment. Crit Rev Toxicol 34:1–83
Acknowledgments
This study was conducted as a component of the Large River Monitoring Network of the US Geological Survey Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program. R. Lipkin of USGS-CERC provided the map. We thank A. Matz, K. Mueller, M. Whittle, and two anonymous reviewers for reviewing earlier versions of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hinck, J.E., Schmitt, C.J., Echols, K.R. et al. Environmental Contaminants in Fish and Their Associated Risk to Piscivorous Wildlife in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 51, 661–672 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-005-0310-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-005-0310-6