Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

In-use herbicides in the Fraser River Basin are known to include atrazine, 2,4-D,ethalfluralin, glyphosate, mineral oil, paraquat, pendimethalin, simazine, triallate, andtrifluralin. Of these, three are known or suspected to be endocrine disruptingcompounds, including atrazine, 2,4-D, and simazine. Of the seven high use fungicidesidentified in the Inventory <strong>of</strong> Aquatic <strong>Contaminants</strong>, only metam has been identified asan endocrine disrupting compound.Inorganic and Organometallic Compounds - Many metals and organometalliccomplexes (i.e., compounds that include a carbon-metal bond) have been identified assuspected endocrine disrupting compounds. Of the metals that were identified in theInventory <strong>of</strong> Aquatic <strong>Contaminants</strong>, none were identified by the EuropeanCommission as likely endocrine disrupting compounds. However, MeHg and severalorganotin complexes (i.e., tributyltin, triphenyltin, tetrabutyltin, tri-n-propyltin) havebeen explicitly identified as endocrine disrupting compounds in wildlife.Biogenic Compounds - Several estrogen-like compounds occur naturally in theenvironment. These chemicals, which are derived from plants, are known asphytoestrogens (such as genistein, naringenin, and coumestrol; Gillesby andZacharewski 1998). Such phytosterols and phytoestrogen metabolites have beenidentified as contaminants in the Fraser River Basin because their concentrations insurface waters are likely to be increased by anthropogenic activities (primarily thoseassociated with manufacturing <strong>of</strong> wood- and fibre-based products).6.1.3 Sources and Releases <strong>of</strong> Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in theFraser River BasinThere are numerous sources <strong>of</strong> endocrine disrupting compounds in the Fraser River Basin.Information compiled to develop the Inventory <strong>of</strong> Aquatic <strong>Contaminants</strong> was used toidentify the likely sources <strong>of</strong> endocrine disrupting compounds in the study area. Thisevaluation was conducted for each <strong>of</strong> the four groups <strong>of</strong> endocrine disrupting compoundsidentified in the previous section <strong>of</strong> this report, including pharmaceuticals and personalcare products s, industrial chemicals, pesticides, inorganic and organometallic compounds,and biogenic compounds.Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products - The primary sources <strong>of</strong> theseproducts in the study area are municipal wastewater treatment plants. These facilitiescan release endocrine disrupting compounds into aquatic ecosystems within thewatershed by direct discharges to surface water, through disposal <strong>of</strong> contaminated78