Abstract
High concentrations of chemicals have been found in sediments from urban areas of Puget Sound. Hundreds, of organic chemicals (including certain aromatic hydrocarbons [AHs] and various chlorinated compounds) were identified. Statistical methods were used to evaluate possible relationships between the chemistry data and fish diseases. Positive correlations were found between the frequencies of liver neoplasms (e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma) and other liver lesions in English sole (Parophrys vetulus) and concentrations of AHs in sediment; such correlations were not found with chlorinated hydrocarbons. Strong evidence was also obtained to show that many organic chemicals in sediment are bioavailable to bottom-dwelling fish. Stomach contents (consisting mainly of benthic invertebrates) from English sole had concentrations of a number of AHs similar to those in the sediment from which the fish were taken. In these same fish, metabolites of many aromatic compounds were found in bile using a procedure combining HPLC with fluorescence detection. Further, the concentrations of certain xenobiotic metabolites in bile were correlated positively with the occurrence of liver neoplasms in English sole.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baumann, P. C., W. D. Smith & M. Ribick, 1982. Hepatic tumor rates and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon levels in two populations of brown bulleads (Ictalurus nebulosus). In Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Physical and Biological Fate. M. Cooke & G. L. Fisher (eds.), Battelle Press, Columbus, Ohio, pp. 93–102.
Black, J. J., L. D. Evans, J. C. Harshbarger & R. F. Zeigel, 1982. Epizootic neoplasms in fishes from a lake polluted by copper mining wastes. J. nat. Cancer Inst. 69: 915–926.
Black, J. J., 1983. Field and laboratory studies of environmental carcinogenesis in Niagara River fish. J. Great Lakes Res. 9: 326–334.
Frith, C. H. & J. M. Ward, 1980. A morphologic classification of proliferative and neoplastic hepatic lesions in mice. J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. 3: 329–351.
Gmur, D. J. & U. Varanasi, 1982. Characterization of benzo[a]pyrene metabolites isolated from muscle, liver and bile of a juvenile flatfish. Carcinogenesis 3: 1397–1403.
Gruger, E. H., J. V. Schnell, P. S. Fraser, D. W. Brown & D. C. Malins, 1981. Metabolism of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene in starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) exposed to naphthalene and p-cresol. Aquat. Toxicol. 1: 37–48.
Krahn, M. M., M. S. Myers, D. G. Burrows & D. C. Malins, 1984. Determination of metabolites of xenobiotics in bile of fish from polluted waterways. Xenobiotica 14: 633–646.
Malins, D. C. & H. O. Hodgins, 1981. Petroleum and marine fishes: A review of uptake, disposition and effects. Environ. Sci. Technol. 15: 1272–1279.
Malins, D. C., B. B. McCain, D. W. Brown, A. K. Sparks, H. O. Hodgins & S-L. Chan, 1982. Chemical contaminants and abnormalities in fish and invertebrates from Puget Sound. NOAA Tech. Memo OMPA-19.
Malins, D. C., M. S. Myers & W. T. Roubal, 1983a. Organic free radicals associated with idiopathic liver lesions of English sole (Parophrys vetulus) from polluted marine environments. Environ. Sci. Technol. 17: 679–685.
Malins, D. C., M. S. Myers, W. D. MacLeod & W. T. Roubal, 1983b. Organic free radicals in liver microsomes of English sole (Parophrys vetulus) containing liver lesions. In Responses of Marine Organisms to Pollutants. J. J. Stegeman (ed.), Elsevier Science Publ., London, pp. 537–539.
Malins, D. C., B. B. McCain, D. W. Brown, S-L. Chan, M. S. Myers, J. T. Landahl, P. G. Prohaska, A. J. Friedman, L. D. Rhodes, D. G. Burrows, W. D. Gronlund & H. O. Hodgins, 1984. Chemical pollutants in sediments and diseases of bottom-dwelling fish in Puget Sound, Washington. Environ. Sci. Technol. 18: 705–713.
Malins, D. C., U. Varanasi, D. W. Brown, M. M. Krahn & S-L. Chan, 1985a. Biological transport of contaminants in marine environments: Bioavailability and biotransformation. Proceedings of ICES Symposium on Contaminant Fluxes through the Coastal Zone, Nantes, France, May 1984 (In Press).
Malins, D. C., M. M. Krahn, D. W. Brown, L. D. Rhodes, M. S. Myers, B. B. McCain, and S-L. Chan, 1985b. Toxic chemicals in marine sediment and biota from Mukilteo, Washington: Relationships with hepatic neoplasms and other hepatic lesions in English sole (Parophrys vetulus). J. Nat. Cancer Institute 74: 487–494.
McCain, B. B., M. S. Myers, U. Varanasi, D. W. Brown, L. D. Rhodes, W. D. Gronlund, D. G. Elliott, W. A. Palsson, H. O. Hodgins & D. C. Malins, 1982. Pathology of two species of flatfish from urban estuaries in Puget Sound. NOAA/EPA Report EPA-600/7-82-001. 100 pp.
Perin, F., M. Dufour, J. Mispelter, B. Ekert, C. Kunneke, F. Oesch & F. Zajdela. 1981. Heterocyclic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogenesis:7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole metabolism by microsomel enzymes from mouse and rat liver. Chem.-Biol. Interactions 35: 267–284.
Roubal, W. T., T. K. Collier & D. C. Malins, 1977. Accumulations and metabolism of carbon-14 labeled benzene, naphthalene, and anthracene by young coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Arch. Environ. Contain. Toxicol. 5: 513–529.
Roubal, W. T. & D. C. Malins, 1985. Free radical derivatives of nitrogen heterocycles in livers of English sole (Parophrys vetulus) with hepatic neoplasms and other liver lesions. Aquat. Toxicol. 6: 87–105.
Sherwood, M. J., 1982. Fin erosion, liver condition, and trace contaminant exposure in fishes from three coastal zones. In Ecological Stress and the New York Bight. G.F. Mayer (ed.), Science and Management, Estuarine Research Foundation, Columbia, SC, pp. 359–377.
Stein, J. E., T. Hom & U. Varanasi, 1984. Simultaneous exposure of English sole (Parophrys vetulus) to sediment-associated xenobiotics: Part I. Uptake and disposition of14C-polychlorinated biphenyls and3H-benzo[a]pyrene. Mar. Environ. Res. 13: 97–117.
Thomas, R. E. & S. D. Rice, 1982. Excretion of aromatic hydrocarbons and their metabolites by freshwater and saltwater Dolly Varden char. In Biological Monitoring of Marine Pollutants. F. J. Vernberg, F. P. Thurberg, A. Calabrese & W. B. Vernberg (eds.), Academic Press, New York, pp. 161–176.
Varanasi, U. & D. C. Malins, 1977. Metabolism of petroleum hydrocarbons: accumulation and biotransformations in marine organisms. In Effects of Petroleum on Arctic and Subarctic Marine Environments and Organisms, Vol. II. D. C. Malins (ed.), Academic Press, New York. pp. 175–270.
Varanasi, U., M. Uhler & S.I. Stranahan, 1978. Uptake and release of naphthalene and its metabolites in skin and epidermal mucus of salmonids. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 44: 277–289.
Varanasi, U., D. J. Gmur & P. A. Treseler, 1979. Influence of time and mode of exposure on biotransformation of naphthalene by juvenile starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) and rock sole (Lepidopsetta bilineata). Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 8: 673–692.
Varanasi, U. & D. J. Gmur, 1981a. Hydrocarbons and metabolites in English sole (Parophrys vetulus) exposed simultaneously to [3H]-benzo[a]pyrene and [14C]naphthalene in oil-contaminated sediment. Aquat. Toxicol. 1: 49–67.
Varanasi, U. & D. J. Gmur, 1981b. In vivo metabolism of naphthalene and benzo[a]pyrene by flatfish. In Chemical Analysis and Biological Fate: Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons. M. W. Cooke & A. J. Dennis (eds.), Battelle Press, Columbus, Ohio, pp. 367–376.
Young, D. R., 1982. A comparative study of trace metal contamination in Southern California and New York Bight. In Ecological Stress and the New York Bight. G. F. Mayer (ed.), Science and Management, Estuarine Research Federation, Columbia, SC, pp. 249–262.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Malins, D.C., McCain, B.B., Brown, D.W. et al. Sediment-associated contaminants and liver diseases in bottom-dwelling fish. Hydrobiologia 149, 67–74 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048647
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048647