Sediment-associated contaminants and liver diseases in bottom-dwelling fish

High concentrations of chemicals have been found in sediments from urban areas of Puget Sound. Hundreds, of organic chemicals (including certain aromatic hydrocarbons [AHs] and various chlorinated compounds) were identified. Statistical methods were used to evaluate possible relationships between the chemistry data and fish diseases. Positive correlations were found between the frequencies of liver neoplasms (e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma) and other liver lesions in English sole (Parophrys vetulus) and concentrations of AHs in sediment; such correlations were not found with chlorinated hydrocarbons. Strong evidence was also obtained to show that many organic chemicals in sediment are bioavailable to bottom-dwelling fish. Stomach contents (consisting mainly of benthic invertebrates) from English sole had concentrations of a number of AHs similar to those in the sediment from which the fish were taken. In these same fish, metabolites of many aromatic compounds were found in bile using a procedure combining HPLC with fluorescence detection. Further, the concentrations of certain xenobiotic metabolites in bile were correlated positively with the occurrence of liver neoplasms in English sole.