BIOINDICATORS OF CONTAMINANT EXPOSURE AND SUBLETHAL EFFECTS IN BENTHIC FISH FROM PUGET SOUND, WA, USA

A suite of chemical and biochemical parameters was measured in three species of benthic flatfish (English sole, Parophrys vetulus; rock sole, Lepidopsetta bilineata; and starry flounder, Platichthys stellatus) sampled from up to five sites in Puget Sound, WA, USA, to assess the sensitivity of the parameters to differences in levels of contaminant exposure and the relative merit of the use of a suite of indices for assessing exposure and sublethal effects. The indices examined were hepatic levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and biliary fluorescent aromatic-compound concentrations, hepatic activities of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, and levels of total hepatic GSH and hydrophobic DNA-xenobiotic adducts; the last-mentioned were determined by using the P-32-postlabeling assay. The results showed that the indices examined could discriminate among sites exhibiting different degrees of chemical contamination; however, species differences in the range of response of some indices were observed. Additionally, the use of multiple indices appeared to enhance the assessment of contaminant exposure and sublethal effects.