title: Wild fish from the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern contain elevated tissue concentrations of PCBs and exhibit evidence of endocrine-related health effects.
abstract: The Bay of Quinte (BOQ) is an Area of Concern listed under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in fish in the BOQ AOC has led to restrictions on fish consumption by humans, which is a beneficial use impairment. Adult yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) were sampled from Trenton, Belleville, and Deseronto (reference site) in the BOQ. A suite of hormone assays and various measures of exposure and/or sublethal health effects were used to assess the health status of fish of both species and sex. Condition factor, hepatosomatic index, ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity, circulating steroid and thyroid hormones, thyroid activation, oocyte size distribution, spermatogenic cell stages, and plasma vitellogenin were among the endpoints that were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by location. Many of those effects corresponded with significantly (p < 0.05) greater tissue concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at Belleville and Trenton. Hepatic extracts from brown bullhead sampled from Trenton had significantly (p < 0.05) greater binding activity to the androgen receptor and sex steroid binding protein. Taken together, these data and preliminary data from a concomitant study suggest that PCBs are likely being hydroxylated in vivo, resulting in enhanced bioactivity at endocrine receptors and measurable health responses. The present study supports the growing body of evidence that PCBs and their metabolites can affect fish thyroid and steroid hormone systems.
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: D B D
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McMaster
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Services Branch, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Reiner
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Parrott
authors.affiliation: Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sherry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D061006:Bays; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002170:Canada; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Bay of Quinte; Brown bullhead; Endocrine disruption; Polychlorinated biphenyl; Yellow perch