High prevalences of idiopathic hepatic lesions, including neoplasms (e.g., hepatocellular carcinomas, cholangiocellular carcinomas) (27%, 20 of 75 fish) and foci of cellular alteration (putative 'preneoplastic' lesions) (44%, 33 of 75 fish), were found in English sole (Parophrys vetulus) exposed to creosote-contaminated sediments in Eagle Harbor, Puget Sound, WA. Sediments from the contaminated region of the harbor contained particularly high concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., benzo[a]pyrene and benz[a]anthracene), and a variety of nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds (e.g., carbazole and acridine). The composition of the aromatic compounds was characteristic of creosote. Dramatically lower concentrations of aromatic compounds were found in sediments from a reference site in which the bottom-dwelling fish examined were free of detectable neoplastic or 'preneoplastic' hepatic lesions. Food organisms in the stomachs of the English sole from Eagle Harbor contained substantially higher concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons than comparable organisms from the reference site. The concentrations of individual aromatic hydrocarbons in muscle and liver from the Eagle Harbor fish were low; however, high concentrations of metabolites of aromatic compounds were present in the bile. The findings strongly suggest an association between exposure to creosote and the prevalence of hepatic lesions, including neoplasms, in the bottom-dwelling fish, and furthermore support the putative role of aromatic hydrocarbons in liver carcinogenesis in fish.

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1988. Contaminant effects on ovarian development in English sole (Parophrys vetulus) from Puget Sound, Washington. Can. 8. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 45: 21 33-2146.In a study evaluating the effects sf exposure to xenobiotic compounds on ovarian development in English sole (Parophrys V~~UIUS), prespawni ng females were sampled from four sites in Puget Sound, Washington, during the 1986 and 1987 spawning seasons. Two sampling sites had high concentrations sf xenobiotic compounds in the sediment, while the other sites were less contaminated. The following factors associated with ovarian maturation were measured: ovarian developmental stage, ovarian atresia, gonadosornatic index, plasma estradiol, and plasma vitellsgenin as estimated from alkali-labile phosphorus. contaminant exposure was assessed by measuring concentrations of fluorescent aromatic compounds in the bile, hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydrowytase (AHH) activity, and hepatic polychlorinated biphenyl levels, and liver tissue was examined histologically for the presence sf suspected towicopathic lesions. Female English sole from the heavily csntaminated sites were significantly less likely to undergo gonadal recrudescence and had lower mean levels of plasma estradiol than females From the less contaminated sites. The risk sf inhibited gonadal recrudescence was significantly increased in sole with elevated hepatic AHH activity, and AHH activity was also significantly negatively correlated with plasma estradiol level. These findings suggest that contaminant exposure may interfere with ovarian development in female English sole.Dans le cadre de lt6valuation des effets sur le developpernent ovarien de la sole anglaise (Parophrys vetulus) de I'exposition 21 des composes x6wobiotiques, des femelles au stade prefrai ont kt6 prelevees en quatre endroits du detrsit Puget (Washington) au cours des saisons de frai de 1986 et 1987. Les s6diments de deux des sites de prelevements presentaient des concentrations elevkes de csrnpss6s w6nobistiques, ceuw des deux autres sites &ant moins contatmines. Les facteurs lies 2 la maturation ovarienne mesurbes snt 6t6 : \'&ape de develsppement svarien, IPatr6sie ovarienne, I'indice gonadssomatique, la teneur en estradiol plasmatique et la teneur en vitellogenine plasmatique estirnee 2 partir du phssphsre labile era milieu alcalin. L'expssitisn aux contaminants a etk determinee par la mesure des eesncentrations des compss6s arsmatiques Fluorescents prksents dans la bile, de l'activite de Bfaryl-hydroxylase des hydrscarbures EAHH) du foie et des teneurs en biphenyles polyehlor~s du fsie et par urn examen kistslogique des tissus hkpatiques pour la recherche de Iksions toxicopathiques. bes soles anglaises femelles des sites forternent contarnines prksentaient, de fasesn significative, un rktablissement gsnadique moins important et des teneurs rnoyennes en estradisl plasmatique inferieures cornparativement aux femelles des sites moins contaminks. Le risque d'une inhibition du rktablissement gonadique etait significativement accru chez les soles p...

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