Effects of estuarine exposure to contaminants on hepatic vitamins in Atlantic tomcod
- Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Moncton, New Brunswick (Canada). Gulf Fisheries Centre
- Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada). Freshwater Inst.
To examine relationships between hepatic organic contaminant and vitamin concentrations, Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) were collected in November 1993 and May 1994 from a developed site (Miramichi Bay) and a reference site (Kouchibouguac Lagoon), on the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast of New Brunswick, Canada. In the fall, tomcod move from the deeper Gulf of St. Lawrence, into shallow estuaries to spawn and spend the winter months under ice cover. During this period hepatic concentrations of chlorinated contaminants in females (chlorobenzenes, chlordanes, DDT, dieldrin, HCH, PCBs, toxaphenes) increased about 3X in the Kouchibouguac fish and about 1.5X in the Miramichi fish. Hepatic concentrations of veratroles and pentachloroanisoles increased by 15X and 7X respectively in the Kouchibouguac fish, whereas they changed only slightly in the Miramichi fish. While the contaminants increased, the hepatic retinyl palmitate and tocopherol concentrations decreased by up to 75% and 50% respectively. Depletion of hepatic vitamin stores seem to be related to increased exposure to contaminants under ice cover in the estuaries.
- OSTI ID:
- 244885
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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