CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS AND HEPATIC-LESIONS IN WINTER FLOUNDER (PLEURONECTES-AMERICANUS) FROM THE NORTHEAST COAST OF THE UNITED-STATES

Relationships between hepatic lesions and chemical contaminant concent rations in sediments, stomach contents, and tissues were examined in w inter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) collected from 22 sites in ei ght major embayments on the Northeast Coast (i.e., Salem Harbor, Bosto n Harbor, Plymouth Bay, Buzzards Bay, New Bedford Harbor, Narragansett Bay, Long Island Sound, and Raritan Bay). Prevalences of a number of pathological conditions, including neoplasms, preneoplastic lesions, h ydropic vacuolation, and other necrotic and proliferative lesions, wer e significantly elevated in fish from contaminated urban embayments su ch as Boston Harbor and Raritan Bay. Results of logistic regression an alyses indicated that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, DDTs, or chlor danes in sediments, stomach contents, liver, or bile of winter flounde r were significant risk factors for the development of several lesion types, including hydropic vacuolation and proliferative and necrotic l esions. However, concentrations of PCBs in sediments and tissue were n ot significant risk factors for any of the lesions observed. In additi on to chemical contaminants, fish age and sampling season had a signif icant influence on disease occurrence. The risk of hepatic disease inc reased with age, and lesion prevalences were higher in animals collect ed during the spring than in winter when spawning migration was taking place. The relationships observed in this study strongly suggest an a ssociation between exposure to certain chemical contaminants and the d evelopment of particular liver lesions in winter flounder.