Fish and Wildlife Advisory News - September 2003

Current Events, News and Journal Articles

• Study: Agent Orange still in Vietnam

  HANOI, Vietnam – A recent report says that even several decades after the defoliant Agent Orange was sprayed over Vietnam, toxic chemicals continue to contaminate Vietnamese people and their food. The report, published in the August issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that 6 out of 16 food samples collected in 2002 from the southern city of Bien Hoa, site of a former U.S. air base, had dioxin concentrations approaching those found during the war. Dioxin was detected in ducks, chickens, a bottom-dwelling fish, and a toad. Pork and beef samples however only showed negligible levels. This study is one of many that show that dioxin is still found in high concentrations in some Vietnamese, as high as when spraying occurred during the war. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed an estimated 21 million gallons of herbicides over southern and central Vietnam to defoliate jungles communist forces used as cover. Approximately 55 percent of the chemicals used were Agent Orange, which contained the highly toxic dioxin.

  During the war, Bien Hoa was the site of a 5,000-gallon underground spill of Agent Orange. Several studies have shown high dioxin concentrations in blood sampled from residents of Bien Hoa including children born decades after the spraying and people who recently moved there. Although there has never been a direct scientific connection established between the Agent Orange and birth defects, exposure to Agent Orange has been linked to a variety of illnesses, including cancer, diabetes and spina bifida.

  The study also detected the presence of other contaminants, including PCBs, a dioxin-like substance. To avoid future contamination steps could be taken urging people to substitute contaminated foods with other food sources. Although the Vietnamese government has never directly demanded compensation from the U.S., it has indicated Washington has a moral responsibility to help heal the consequences of the war. Last year, representatives of the U.S. and Vietnamese government held their first joint scientific conference on Agent Orange and its effects. Vietnam estimates there are more than 620,000 victims affected by Agent Orange, including veterans and their children. Dioxin levels in soil remain at trace concentrations, however, dioxin can be found in river sediments, which may be one reason why fish and ducks are more likely to be contaminated.

  Source: Tran, T. 2003. Study: Agent Orange still in Vietnam, Associated Press.




• California to ban flame-retardant chemicals

  SANTA MONICA, Calif. - California became the first state to ban flame-retardant chemicals because they are known to accumulate in the blood of mothers and nursing babies. The ban which was signed into law on August 9 will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2008. Retardant manufacturers have indicated that they need time to find alternatives to these chemicals, commonly used to furniture, electronics, plastic and foam products.

  Several studies have shown that North American women have the highest concentrations of these chemicals, known as PBDEs, in the world, nearing concentrations shown to damage memory, behavior, and learning in laboratory mice. California researchers found Bay Area women had 3 to 10 times higher concentrations of the PBDEs in their breast tissue than either European or Japanese women. An Indiana University study found levels in Indiana and California women and infants 20 times higher than in Sweden and Norway. PBDEs persist in the environment for many years and accumulate in the body over a lifetime, like many of the polychlorinated compounds (PCBs and DDT), which were banned decades ago in the United States. EPA is concerned about PBDEs and is gathering additional data and working in cooperation with the industry to find safer alternatives.

  Source: 2003. California to ban flame-retardant chemicals. Associated Press, last updated August 13, 2003 at 1:39:45 p.m.




• Decline in fish consumption among pregnant women after a national mercury advisory - In January 2001, a well-publicized FDA advisory recommended that pregnant women limit consumption of certain fish because of concerns about mercury contamination. The authors endeavored to estimate the extent to which pregnant women changed their fish consumption habits after distribution of this national advisory. The authors performed interrupted time series analysis of data from a cohort of pregnant women (2235 who completed at least one dietary questionnaire) visiting obstetric offices in a group practice in eastern Massachusetts. Women were surveyed before the advisory from April 1999 through December 2000 and after the advisory from April 2001 through February 2002. Major outcome measures were consumption of total fish and consumption of four fish types: canned tuna, dark meat fish, white meat fish and shellfish. The women reported fish consumption on food frequency questionnaires administered during each trimester of pregnancy.

  The authors observed a reduction in the consumption of dark meat fish, canned tuna, and white meat fish after the FDA issued the mercury advisory. These decreases in consumption resulted in a reduction in total fish consumption of approximately 1.4 servings per month from December 2000 to April 2001, with continuing declines through the end of the study period. No change in shellfish consumption was observed in the study population. Because consumption of dark and white meat fish and canned tuna may confer nutritional benefits to mothers and infants, public health implications of these changes in fish consumption are unclear.

  Source: Oken, E., K. Kleinman, W. Berland, S. Simon, J. Rich-Edwards, and M. Gillman. 2003. Decline in fish consumption among pregnant women after a national mercury advisory, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 102 (2): 346-51.




• Evaluating risk communication about fish consumption advisories: efficacy of a brochure versus a classroom lesson in Spanish and English - Brochures or fish fact sheets are the methods traditionally employed by state public health agencies to inform the general public about fish consumption advisories and the risks of consuming contaminated fish. The format of a presentation can influence the way target audiences understand risk-related information. The authors studied the efficacy of presenting information about the risks from consuming contaminated fish and shellfish in two different formats: a brochure and classroom presentation. Reflecting the local ethnic composition in the Newark Bay, NJ area, the two instruments were designed and tested in both English and Spanish. The presentation instruments were tested on women of child-bearing age at the Women, Infants, and Children Center in Elizabeth, NJ. Detailed graphics were used in both presentations, including contaminated fish species, fish preparation methods, and food chain bioaccumulation of contaminants and transmission to the fetus. There were few language-related differences in the classroom presentation and brochure. However, there were significant differences in understanding about the risks from consuming fish or crabs from contaminated waters of Newark Bay. In all cases, women exposed to the classroom lesson had a better understanding than those who read the brochure. Of the women who heard the lesson, 96 percent understood that it was unsafe to eat fish from the port area, compared to only 72% of those reading the brochure. Both presentational formats succeeded in providing information to most women about the advisories areas, the fish species under advisories, and transmission of toxic chemicals from the mother to the fetus. Fish preparation information was recalled less clearly, partly because women were asked to relate methods to reduce the risk from consuming fish from 11 different methods presented, and most could recall only 2 or 3 from the list. The authors discuss the advantages and disadvantages of conducting short classes to women of child-bearing age.

  Source: Burger, J., M. McDermott, C. Chess, E. Bochenek, M. Perez-Lugo, and K. Pflugh. 2003. Evaluating risk communication about fish consumption advisories: efficacy of a brochure versus a classroom lesson in Spanish and English. Risk Anal 23 (4): 791-803.




• Developments in the use of chromatographic techniques in marine laboratories for the determination of halogenated contaminants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - Chromatography is an important tool in marine laboratories. Since the 1960s, marine laboratories have been involved in the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Both column chromatography and liquid chromatography (LC) techniques have been used, primarily in the clean-up phase, while gas chromatography (GC) has been used extensively for final determination of these contaminants. The authors discuss the progress made in interlaboratory studies, new methodologies, and the availability of certified reference materials (CRMs).

  Source: de Boer, J. and R. Law. 2003. Developments in the use of chromatographic techniques in marine laboratories for the determination of halogenated contaminants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Journal of Chromatography A 1000 (1-2): 223-51.




• Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in edible fish species and dolphins from Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - {No Abstract}

  Source: Da Silva, A., V. Lemes, H. Barretto, E. Oliveira, I. De Alleluia, and F. Paumgartten. 2003. Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in edible fish species and dolphins from Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 70 (6): 1151-7.




• Assessment of organotin contamination in marine sediments and biota from the Gulf and adjacent region - Species of butyltin were quantified in sediments from coastal areas in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Both butyltin and phenyltin species were monitored in biota samples from four countries in the region. For tributyltin (TBT) concentrations up to 60 ngSng(-1) were detected, and some sediments could be classified as contaminated (i.e. TBT>1.3 ngSng(-1)), namely Dukhan (Qatar), the BAPCO industrial complex and Askar (Bahrain), and Hilf and the Raysut Port Area (Oman). Higher residues of total butyltins were found in oysters relative to fish. These concentrations although relatively low, ranged from 6.5 to 488 ngSng(-1) dry weight. In some fish and bivalves from the Persian Gulf, diphenyltin and triphenyltin were found, but not in biota from the Gulf of Oman. Organotin concentrations in species are comparatively low by worldwide standards and pose no immediate concern for public health.

  Source: de Mora, S., S. Fowler, R. Cassi, and I. Tolosa. 2003. Assessment of organotin contamination in marine sediments and biota from the Gulf and adjacent region. Marine Pollution Bulletin 46 (4): 401-9.




• Seasonal variations in tissue metabolic capacities of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) from clean and metal-contaminated environments - The authors examined seasonal variations in tissue metal contamination and physiology of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) from a clean lake (Halfway Lake) and a metal-contaminated lake (Whitson Lake) in spring, summer, and fall of 1999. Dietary metal content influenced metal levels in fish liver tissue, especially for cadmium. Fulton's condition factor (FCF), an indicator of recent feeding activity, was lower in the contaminated lake fish except in summer, when higher FCF values corresponded to higher liver copper concentrations, presumably because of the higher feeding rates. Tissue protein concentrations and indicators of biosynthetic capacities suggested lower biosynthesis in the contaminated lake fish. Muscle aerobic and anaerobic capacities were consistently lower in metal contaminated fish, with maximal differences in summer. In contrast, although liver aerobic capacities were generally comparable among populations, anaerobic capacities were much higher in the contaminated lake fish. The authors discuss the importance of seasonal variations in tissue metal concentrations and fish condition that is essential in evaluating the extent of impairment in condition faced by metal-contaminated wild fish.

  Source: Audet, D., and P.Couture. 2003. Seasonal variations in tissue metabolic capacities of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) from clean and metal-contaminated environments. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 60 (3):269-278.




• Chemical and biological remediation of the benthos near Atlantic salmon farms - British Columbia salmon farms currently produce over 2000 metric tons of fish during each 18- to 24-month production cycle. An 18-month study of Stolt Sea Farms' Arrow Pass farm was conducted in 1996 to examine spatial and temporal extents of chemical and biological benthic effects of the farming. In near field sediments, microbial metabolism of farm biodeposits resulted in increased sulfide levels and decreased redox potential. These physicochemical changes impacted the macrobenthic community. Species sensitive to enrichment were quickly killed in the immediate vicinity of the farm (at least 50 m from the net-pen's perimeter on the down current transect) and were replaced by the organic carbon tolerant opportunistic annelids (Capitella capitata and Ophryotrocha vivipara). Chemical remediation, defined as a return to reference levels of organic carbon, a reduction in free sediment sulfides to 960 mu M and an increase in sediment redox potential to reference conditions, began as soon as the harvest commenced and was complete by the end of harvest. Biological remediation began during the harvest and was complete within 6 months of fallow.

  Source: Brooks, K., A. Stierns, C. Mahnken, and D. Blackburn. 2003. Chemical and biological remediation of the benthos near Atlantic salmon farms. Aquaculture 219 (1-4): 355-377.




• Historic and modern abundance of wild lean lake trout in Michigan waters of Lake Superior: implications for restoration goals - Lake Superior populations of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) collapsed in the late 1950s as a result of overfishing and predation by sea lampreys. A U.S.-Canadian effort to restore the lean morphotype of lake trout began with stocking the lake with hatchery-reared fish followed by the chemical control of sea lampreys, and closure of the commercial fishery. Earlier comparisons of the contemporary abundance of wild lean lake trout with that from historic commercial fishery statistics indicate that abundance was higher historically. However, this conclusion may be biased because of several factors: the inclusion of siscowet ('fat' morphotype of lake trout) in the catch statistics, the soak time of nets, seasonal effects on catch per effort, and confounding effects of effort targeted at lake whitefish (Oregonus clupeaformis) which were not taken into account. The authors developed new indices of historic lean lake trout abundance that correct for these biases and compared them with the assessment data from 1984 to 1998 in Michigan waters of Lake Superior. The modern (1984-1998) abundance of wild lean lake trout is at least as high as that during 1929-1943 in six of eight management areas, but lower in one area. Management actions to promote naturally reproducing populations have been more successful than previously realized.

  Source: Wilberg, M., M. Hansen, and C. Bronte. 2003. Historic and modern abundance of wild lean lake trout in Michigan waters of Lake Superior: implications for restoration goals. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 23 (1): 100-108.




• Jewels in our waters - Southern freshwater rivers provide aquatic habitat for numerous species, including many on the endangered species list. Approximately 66% of the freshwater species of North America are found in the southeastern states, including 18 endangered species and 16 threatened species. Of 72 species of mussels, 67 are found in southeastern waters. Although biodiversity is high, threats to species are also high, and include dam construction, dredging, channelization, deforestation, mining, and water pollution. Conservation efforts need to be based on good identification of species and their habitat requirements.

  Source: Hamilton, S. 2003. Jewels in our waters. Endangered Species Bulletin 28 (2):4-6.




• Mercury in stream ecosystems-new studies initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey - These authors provide a description of the USGS research on mercury in stream ecosystems. The USGS is assessing the extent and magnitude of mercury contamination in stream ecosystems in 14 major river basins across the US. Samples of water, sediment, and predatory fish were collected at 120 stream sites in 2002 and assayed for various forms of mercury. The USGS is also assessing processes affecting transport, biological, and chemical transformations, and bioaccumulation of mercury in three study units. Data will be used to identify high priority regions, to improve criteria and standards for protecting aquatic life and human health, and to improve strategies for controlling emissions and managing lands.

  Source: Brigham, M., D. Krabbenhoft, and P. Hamilton. 2003. Mercury in stream ecosystems-new studies initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS Fact Sheet 016-03, http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/fs/fs-016-03/index.html.




• Historical analysis of diazinon from the San Joaquin River watershed with implications for exceeding water quality targets - The objectives of this study were to assess the historic spatial and temporal trends in diazinon concentrations in the San Joaquin River watershed from 1991 to 2001 and determine the probability of historic diazinon concentrations exceeding selected aquatic effects benchmarks (targets). Diazinon concentrations from 50 sites sampled during 1991 to 2001 ranged from non-detected concentrations to 36,820 ng/L with highest concentrations reported during the winter months. The 90th percentiles for the 50 sites over the 10 year period ranged from 29.8 to 26,512 ng/L with highest concentrations reported from tributary sites. Temporal comparison of diazinon concentrations from winter months at a mainstem site (Vernalis) and a tributary site (Orestimba Creek at River Road) suggests that diazinon concentrations have declined since 1991. The probability of exceeding the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) acute water quality criterion (target) of 80 ng/L and the Probabilistic Ecological Risk Assessment (PERA) target of 483 ng/L for the 10-year data set was less than 15% and less than 4%, respectively, for all site designations (all sites, pooled mainstem sites, and pooled tributary sites). The probability of exceeding both the CDFG and PERA target values for the Vernalis site and the Orestimba River Road site decreased from the early 1990s to 2000/2001.

  Source: Hall, L., Jr. 2003. Historical analysis of diazinon from the San Joaquin River watershed with implications for exceeding water quality targets. California Fish and Game 89 (1): 1-19.




• Investigation of PCB contamination in steelhead liver - {No Abstract}

  Source: Davis, C., R. Thompson, and A. Cavinato. 2003. Investigation of PCB contamination in steelhead liver. Abstracts of Papers American Chemical Society 225 (1-2): 336.




• Interdependence between pollution and fish resource harvest policies - The author presents a bio-economic model in which fishery dynamics are affected by marine pollution both directly and indirectly. From this analysis it can be seen that, as long as a contaminating sector exists near coastal areas, the policy on fish resource harvest will be more intense initially (when the environmental situation is better) and less intense in subsequent periods. The fish resource will be managed as if it were a non-renewable resource. It was also shown that, while the effect of pollution coexists with resource exploitation, the resource stock cannot be thought of as a stationary unit, which leads the regulator to adopt a policy whereby the release of pollutants can be better controlled.

  Source: Murillas-Maza, A. 2003. Interdependence between pollution and fish resource harvest policies. International Journal of Environment and Pollution 19 (4): 336-350.




• Aroclor 1254 affects growth and survival skills of Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus larvae - The authors evaluated the effects of environmentally realistic egg loadings of the PCB Aroclor 1254 on the subsequent growth and behavior of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulates) larvae. Adult fish were given a dietary administration of 0 (control) or 0.4 (dosed) mg Aroclor 1254 kg-1 fish d-1 for 2 weeks during the final stages of gonadal recrudescence. Fertilized eggs collected from control and dosed adults immediately after spawning contained 0 and 0.66 micro g Aroclor 1254 g-1 egg, respectively. Increase in total length of dosed larvae was significantly lower than that of controls between 2 and 13 d post-hatching, with dosed larvae exhibiting a 4 d delay in growth to the same size as control larvae. Behavioral assays were used to evaluate survival skills of larvae on Days 5 (complete yolk absorption), 9 (complete oil globule absorption), and 13 (larva wholly dependent on exogenous food sources) post-hatching. The authors examined survival skills such as potential foraging rate (routine swimming speed and activity) and the response to a startle (transient vibratory stimulus) stimulus. Routine swimming speed and activity were similar between control and dosed larvae. A significant dose x age interaction existed in the responses of the control and dosed larvae to a vibratory stimulus. The percentage of control larvae responding to the stimulus, and their burst speeds, increased with age. In contrast, no age-related response was found in the Aroclor dosed larvae. Results indicate that environmentally realistic body burdens of Aroclor 1254 transfer to the eggs and larvae, reducing their growth rates and impairing their startle responses, possibly making the larvae more susceptible to predation.

  Source: McCarthy, I., L. Fuiman, M. Alvarez. 2003. Aroclor 1254 affects growth and survival skills of Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus larvae. Marine Ecology, Progress Series 252 (295-301).




• Integrating social impact assessment with research: the case of methylmercury in fish in the Mobile-Alabama River Basin - The authors report on an interdisciplinary project in the southeastern U.S. that illustrates the utility of integrating biophysical research with social impact assessment to affect public policy. The authors’ research concerned environmental factors contributing to mercury accumulating in the aquatic food chain. Mercury is a metal having toxic effects on humans; eating fish is the major pathway for exposure. Unsafe methylmercury levels in humans have become a world-wide concern. Social impact assessment and public involvement processes define the initiative and placed the study into the policy arena. Accordingly, officials are evaluating policies and directing additional support to mercury research, including addressing human health and societal impacts and remedial actions for at-risk groups.

  Source: Samya, M., H. Snow, and H. Bryan. 2003. Integrating social impact assessment with research: the case of methylmercury in fish in the Mobile-Alabama River Basin. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 21 (2): 133-140.




• Speciation of arsenic in baby foods and the raw fish ingredients using liquid chromatography-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry - The speciation of arsenic in different baby foods and the raw fish ingredients using the direct hybridization of liquid chromatography (LC) and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) is described. Good resolution of arsenic(III), dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and arsenic(V) is achieved using an anion-exchange column with potassium phosphate as the mobile phase and gradient elution. Arsenobetaine (AsB) is determined by on-line oxidation using peroxydisulphate and hydride generation. The arsenicals were extracted by an enzymatic digestion procedure based on the action of trypsin or pancreatin. Arsenobetaine was the only arsenic species detected. The procedure’s reliability was checked by analyzing the total arsenic content of the samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with microwave-oven digestion and by analyzing a certified reference material. The arsenic content in the baby foods comes from the raw fish ingredients and is highest when plaice is used.

  Source: Vinas, P., I. Lopez-Garcia, B. Merino-Merono, N. Campillo, and M. Hernandez-Cordoba. 2003. Speciation of arsenic in baby foods and the raw fish ingredients using liquid chromatography-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry. Chromatographia 57 (9/10): 611-616.

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For more information on EPA's Fish and Wildlife Contamination Program, contact: Jeffrey Bigler at US EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (4305), Washington, DC 20460; email: bigler.jeff@epa.gov.