LIVER-LESIONS IN WINTER FLOUNDER (PSEUDOPLEURONECTES-AMERICANUS) FROMJAMAICA, BAY NEW-YORK - INDICATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

Liver sections of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) coll ected from Jamaica Bay and Shinnecock Bay, New York, in 1989, were exa mined microscopically to determine the pervasiveness of liver lesions observed previously in Jamaica Bay winter flounder. Neoplastic lesions were not detected in fish from jamaica Bay or the Shinnecock Bay refe rence site. Twenty-two percent of Jamaica Bay winter flounder examined (n = 103) had unusual vacuolization of hepatocytes and biliary pre-du ctal and ductal cells (referred to hereafter as the vacuolated cell le sion). The lesion, identical to that found in 25% of Jamaica Bay winte r flounder examined in 1988. has previously been identified in fishes taken from highly polluted regions of the Atlantic coast (e.g., Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, and Black Rock Harbor, Connecticut). Prevalenc e of the vacuolated cell lesion in winter flounder from Jamaica Bay wa s significantly greater (p < 0.0001) than in 102 specimens collected f rom Shinnecock Bay. Current scientific literature indicates vacuolated hepatocytes and cholangiocytes are chronically injured and that the e xtent of their deformity is consistent with the action of a hepatotoxi cant. The high prevalence of vacuolated hepatocytes in Jamaica Bay win ter flounder and absence of the lesion in flounder from reference site s strongly supports the hypothesis that this impairment is a manifesta tion of a toxic condition in at least some portions of Jamaica Bay.