Linking xenobiotic exposure to adverse biological effects in ecotoxicological assessments: The role of biomarkers
Conference
·
OSTI ID:211959
- NMFS/NOAA, Seattle, WA (United States)
Biomarkers of contaminant exposure have been developed and are being successfully applied to a wide range of aquatic species. To improve the utility of biomarkers in the practical assessment of the impact of xenobiotics on aspects of ecosystem integrity requires the identification of biomarkers that are also indicators of adverse physiological effect. Moreover, it is important to determine if the use of biomarkers can improve the ability to diagnose potential adverse effects at the population level. Currently, the authors are evaluating the potential of a battery of molecular and cellular biomarkers in both fish and invertebrates to strengthen linkages between exposure and effects on growth, reproduction and survival of marine species. Concerted field and laboratory studies are employed to delineate dose-response for biomarkers, identify levels at which effects are observed in indigenous species, and to substantiate causality between exposure and the above physiological effects. However, to identify further causal relationships between physiological effects on individuals and population level impacts that are associated with xenobiotic exposure is currently a significant challenge. Their current efforts are focusing on constructing population models using estimates of mortality and reproductive success in a benthic fish, and on constructing population growth curves for a bivalve. Both species were sampled from a range of contaminated sites in Puget Sound, WA, and analyses included measurement of biomarkers to identify or strengthen associations between exposure and estimated population level impacts. Overall, these recent findings demonstrate that properly validated biomarkers are useful in substantiating linkages between environmental contamination and physiological effects that may lead to adverse population level impacts.
- OSTI ID:
- 211959
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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