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Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

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salinity tolerance were significantly compromised in the fish that were administered17ß-estradiol, as evidenced by increased plasma sodium and calcium levels. Gillsodium-potassium ATPase activity was reduced by about 20% compared to thec<strong>on</strong>trol treatment, but the difference was not statistically significant.Synthetic Horm<strong>on</strong>es - Exposure <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> fish to synthetic horm<strong>on</strong>es, such as 17áethinylestradiol(a comm<strong>on</strong> comp<strong>on</strong>ent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> oral c<strong>on</strong>traceptives), can also cause adverseeffects <strong>on</strong> fish. For example, Scholz and Gutzeit (2000) reported that exposure <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>newly hatched male Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) to 100 ng/L <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 17áethinylestradiolfor two m<strong>on</strong>ths resulted in sex reversal <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100% <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the fish (i.e., allmale fish developed ovaries). Reduced egg producti<strong>on</strong> and g<strong>on</strong>ado-somatic indexwere observed in female medaka exposed to 10 or 100 ng/L <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this substance for 60-d(Scholz and Gutzeit 2000). Similar results were observed in an 85- to 110-d test withthis species, with 91% <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the fish in the 100 ng/L exposure group identified as female(Metcalfe et al. 2001). Ovotestis was observed in males exposed to 1 ng/L or 10 ng/L<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this substance. In a life-cycle (305-d) test with fathead minnows (Pimephalespromelas), Lange et al. (2001) observed significant changes in sex ratios <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> fishexposed to c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 17á-ethinylestradiol as low as 4.0 ng/L. A no observedeffect level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1.0 ng/L was reported based <strong>on</strong> the results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this study. In three-spinedsticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), chr<strong>on</strong>ic exposure to 100 ng/L <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 17áethinylestradiolreduced the survival <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> males, increased growth in fry, juveniles, andsub-adults, and increased the frequency <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> risky foraging behaviour (Bell 2004).Insufficient data were obtained to establish toxicity thresholds <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> synthetic horm<strong>on</strong>esfor salm<strong>on</strong>id fishes; however, a level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1.0 ng/L might be generally protective <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> fishagainst estrogenic effects associated with exposure to 17-ethinylestradiol.Alkylphenols and Alkylphenol polyethoxylates - Alkylphenols and alkylphenolpolyethoxylates have been shown to have adverse effects <strong>on</strong> fish in laboratory studies.For example, McCormick et al. (2005) injected Atlantic salm<strong>on</strong> (Salmo salar) parrwith doses <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 4-n<strong>on</strong>ylphenol ranging from 0.5 to 150 µg/g, in each case repeating thetreatment <strong>on</strong> days 4, 8, and 11. Exposed and c<strong>on</strong>trol fish were transferred to seawater<strong>on</strong> day 14 <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the experiment to assess salinity tolerance. The results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this studyindicated that parr-smolt transformati<strong>on</strong> and salinity tolerance were significantlycompromised in the fish that were administered the highest dose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 4-n<strong>on</strong>ylphenol, asevidenced by increased plasma sodium and calcium levels. Gill sodium-potassiumATPase activity was reduced by about 30% compared to the c<strong>on</strong>trol treatment, but thedifference was not statistically significant.84

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