Environmental contaminants and biomarker responses in fish from the Columbia River and its tributaries: Spatial and temporal trends

Abstract

Fish were collected from 16 sites on rivers in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) from September 1997 to April 1998 to document temporal and spatial trends in the concentrations of accumulative contaminants and to assess contaminant effects on the fish. Sites were located on the mainstem of the Columbia River and on the Snake, Willamette, Yakima, Salmon, and Flathead Rivers. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), black bass (Micropterus sp.), and largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) were the targeted species. Fish were field-examined for external and internal lesions, selected organs were weighed to compute somatic indices, and tissue and fluid samples were preserved for fish health and reproductive biomarker analyses. Composite samples of whole fish, grouped by species and gender, from each site were analyzed for organochlorine and elemental contaminants using instrumental methods and for 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin-like activity (TCDD-EQ) using the H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay. Overall, pesticide concentrations were greatest in fish from lower CRB sites and elemental concentrations were greatest in fish from upper CRB sites. These patterns reflected land uses. Lead (Pb) concentrations in fish from the Columbia River at Northport and Grand Coulee, Washington (WA) exceeded fish and wildlife toxicity thresholds (>0.4 microg/g). Selenium (Se) concentrations in fish from the Salmon River at Riggins, Idaho (ID), the Columbia River at Vernita Bridge, WA, and the Yakima River at Granger, WA exceeded toxicity thresholds for piscivorous wildlife (>0.6 microg/g). Mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish were elevated throughout the basin but were greatest (>0.4 microg/g) in predatory fish from the Salmon River at Riggins, ID, the Yakima River at Granger, WA, and the Columbia River at Warrendale, Oregon (OR). Residues of p,p'-DDE were greatest (>0.8 microg/g) in fish from agricultural areas of the Snake, Yakima, and Columbia River basins but were not detected in upper CRB fish. Other organochlorine pesticides did not exceed toxicity thresholds in fish or were detected infrequently. Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; >0.11 microg/g) and TCDD-EQs (>5 pg/g) exceeded wildlife guidelines in fish from the middle and lower CRB, and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was also elevated at many of the same sites. Temporal trend analysis indicated decreasing or stable concentrations of Pb, Se, Hg, p,p'-DDE, and PCBs at most sites where historical data were available. Altered biomarkers were noted in fish throughout the CRB. Fish from some stations had responded to chronic contaminant exposure as indicated by fish health and reproductive biomarker results. Although most fish from some sites had grossly visible external or internal lesions, histopathological analysis determined these to be inflammatory responses associated with helminth or myxosporidian parasites. Many largescale sucker from the Columbia River at Northport and Grand Coulee, WA had external lesions and enlarged spleens, which were likely associated with...

Health status of Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) collected along an organic contaminant gradient in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, USA

“…The river and its tributaries provide transportation, irrigation, hydroelectric power, recreation, and food, and represent a valuable economic resource for the region (Hinck et al, 2006). Anthropogenic activities known to impact the aquatic environment that have taken place in this riverine system include mining, timber, industrial and municipal discharges, and agricultural and urban runoff.…”

“…Anthropogenic activities known to impact the aquatic environment that have taken place in this riverine system include mining, timber, industrial and municipal discharges, and agricultural and urban runoff. Contaminants resulting from these activities have degraded the aquatic environment and negatively affected the overall health of a number of fish and wildlife species (Henny et al, 2008;Hinck et al, 2006;Morace, 2012).…”

“…Previous studies have established the presence and concentrations of a large suite of persistent contaminants in water and biota of the Columbia River (Hinck et al, 2006;Johnson et al, 2007Johnson et al, , 2013. Fish health may be affected by a variety of environmental contaminants including polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs; Arkoosh et al, 2010;Muirhead et al, 2006), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; Gundersen et al, 2000), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane metabolites (DDTs; Slaninova et al, 2009), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; Johnson et al, 2008), and heavy metals (Golovanova, 2008).…”

“…However, little is known about the effects that these contaminants have on the status of fish populations, especially in regards to contaminant mixtures present in the river. Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) are native to the Columbia River and have been used in a number of field studies to monitor environmental contaminants (Hinck et al, 2006) and to assess the effects that these contaminants have on fish-eating birds (Henny et al, 2003). Largescale Sucker occur in most freshwater bodies west of the Rocky Mountains and from British Columbia (Canada) to Oregon (US) (Scott and Crossman, 1973).…”

“…A concurrent analysis of the same fish showed that the concentration of organic contaminants in liver of males is higher than in other tissues such as brain, stomach, gonad, and fillet -in this issue); thus, liver contaminant content was used as index of environmental exposures in the present study. Target contaminants in this study include legacy organic contaminants and organic contaminants of emerging concern previously reported in the study area (Fuhrer et al, 1996;Henny et al, 2003;Hinck et al, 2006;Johnson et al, 2007Johnson et al, , 2013.…”