Mj. Moore et al., TRENDS IN HEPATIC-TUMORS AND HYDROPIC VACUOLATION, FIN EROSION, ORGANIC-CHEMICALS AND STABLE-ISOTOPE RATIOS IN WINTER FLOUNDER FROM MASSACHUSETTS, USA, Marine pollution bulletin, 32(6), 1996, pp. 458-470
Liver lesions including neoplasia and hydropic vacuolation have been d
escribed in winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) from sites in Bo
ston Harbor, and were highly prevalent near the Deer Island sewage out
fall. A marked decline in prevalence of neoplasia has been seen over t
he period 1987 to 1993 in fish from near the Deer Island outfall. This
decline in disease in Deer Island fish correlated with and probably r
esulted from reported reduced chemical input over that time. Stable is
otope ratios suggest that Deer Island winter flounder, in contrast to
fish from elsewhere, fed significantly on sewage sludge-derived organi
c matter prior to 1992 and that their along-shore movement is slight.
Between 1991 and 1993 hydropic vacuolation remained much more prevalen
t in flounder taken near Deer Island and another sewage outfall, than
at sites distant (less than or equal to 45 miles) from the outfalls, H
ydropic vacuolation prevalence correlated closely with content of chlo
rinated hydrocarbon residues in the liver, and in particular with DDT/
DDD/DDE. This suggests that between 1991 and 1993 there was a persiste
nt chemical-associated difference in fish from the planned and current
outfall sites, and that monitoring of winter flounder will provide ne
cessary assessment of altered chemical carcinogenesis risk during and
after the switch to the offshore outfall planned for 1998. Copyright (
C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd