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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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including cessati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> egg-laying behaviour and reducti<strong>on</strong> in mature sperm. Similarly,spawning success was reduced by 80% in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteusaculeatus) fed high doses <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a commercial PBDE mixture (Bromkal 70-5DE) for a 3.5m<strong>on</strong>th period (the tissue c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong> was 1630 µg/kg lipid; Holm et al. 1993).Importantly, juvenile lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) fed diets c<strong>on</strong>taining high (25ng/g per PBDE c<strong>on</strong>geners) or low (2.5 ng/g per PBDE c<strong>on</strong>geners) levels <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 13 PBDEc<strong>on</strong>geners had lower levels <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> plasma thyroxine than did c<strong>on</strong>trol fish, indicating thatthese c<strong>on</strong>taminants may influence thyroid homeostatis in fish (Tomy et al. 2004). Inrainbow trout, dietary exposure to PBDE-47 for six or more days resulted in a 75%reducti<strong>on</strong> in ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, indicating that ERODactivity may be a good indicator <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> salm<strong>on</strong>id fishes to PBDEs (Tjarnlundet al. 1998).In mammals, PBDEs are known to be neurotoxic, thyrotoxic, estrogenic, and possiblycarcinogenic. However, the data needed to identify the c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> PBDEs inwater, diet, or fish tissues that are sufficient to cause developmental dysfuncti<strong>on</strong>s,thyroid horm<strong>on</strong>e imbalances, vitellogenin inducti<strong>on</strong>, or tumour inducti<strong>on</strong>/promoti<strong>on</strong>have not been established. Therefore, it is possible that PBDEs could cause adverseeffects in fish at c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s lower than those associated with larval mortality orspawning success.No data were located <strong>on</strong> the toxicity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> PBBs to fish. However, the results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> studies<strong>on</strong> mammalian species indicate that these chemicals cause reproductive effects inm<strong>on</strong>keys and elicit carcinogenic effects in other species (Siddiqi et al. 2003). Reducedgrowth, egg producti<strong>on</strong>, and egg hatchability were observed in chickens exposed toPBBs in dietary exposure studies (Darnerud 2003). A tolerable daily intake <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 0.15µg/kg body weight (BW) has been established for PBBs in humans to protect againstcarcinogenic effects (based <strong>on</strong> a no observed adverse effect level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 0.15 mg/kg BW;IPCS 1994).Given the relative dearth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> PBDEs and PBBs, it is clear that furtherinvestigati<strong>on</strong>s are needed to establish toxicity thresholds <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these substances forsockeye salm<strong>on</strong> utilizing habitats within the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> and its tributaries.Legacy Organochlorine and Other Pesticides - A number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> organochlorine pesticideshave been identified as endocrine disrupting compounds. Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these chemicalsappear to the antiestrogenic (i.e., endosulfan), while others appear to be capable <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>inducing vitellogenesis in male fish (DDTs and methoxychlor). For example91

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