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Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

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• Disinfectants and disinfectant byproducts (i.e., bromine, chlorine, and iodine);and,• Nanoparticles.As it was not possible to c<strong>on</strong>duct a quantitative evaluati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the effects <strong>on</strong> <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong>sockeye salm<strong>on</strong> associated with exposure to uncertain c<strong>on</strong>taminants <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>cern, analternate approach was adopted to determine if these substances could be causing orsubstantially c<strong>on</strong>tributing to the decline <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> sockeye salm<strong>on</strong>. This approachinvolved c<strong>on</strong>ducting qualitative evaluati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the potential effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> endocrine disruptingcompounds and c<strong>on</strong>taminants <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> emerging c<strong>on</strong>cern <strong>on</strong> sockeye salm<strong>on</strong>. This chapterdescribed the methods that were used in the qualitative evaluati<strong>on</strong>s and presents the results<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these analyses.6.1 <str<strong>on</strong>g>Potential</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Effects</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals <strong>on</strong> <strong>Sockeye</strong> Salm<strong>on</strong>There is a substantial body <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific evidence dem<strong>on</strong>strating that many <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> thesubstances released to the envir<strong>on</strong>ment due to human activities have the potential tomodulate or disrupt the endocrine system <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> aquatic organisms, wildlife, and humans. Theterm, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, has been used to describe the chemicals thatinterfere with the producti<strong>on</strong>, release, metabolism, binding, acti<strong>on</strong>, or eliminati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> thenatural horm<strong>on</strong>es that are resp<strong>on</strong>sible for the maintenance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> homeostasis (i.e., metabolicequilibrium), reproducti<strong>on</strong>, development, and/or behaviour (USEPA 2010a). This secti<strong>on</strong>provides background informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the endocrine system, identifies potential endocrinedisrupting compounds in the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> Basin, evaluates the potential effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>endocrine disrupting compounds in fish, describes potential exposure <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sockeye salm<strong>on</strong> toendocrine disrupting compounds, and assesses potential risks to sockeye associated withexposure to endocrine disrupting compounds in the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> Basin.6.1.1 Role <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Endocrine System in FishThe endocrine system is a complex internal chemical signalling system comprised <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>glands, organs, and tissues that secrete horm<strong>on</strong>es into the bloodstream (MPCA 2008).Horm<strong>on</strong>es are chemical messengers that regulate many bodily processes in fish and othervertebrates, including maintenance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> homeostatis (i.e., internal equilibrium), growth,development, metabolic processes, sexual reproducti<strong>on</strong>, and behaviour (USEPA 2010a).Horm<strong>on</strong>es can be characterized into several classes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> compounds, including75

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