OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Histopathology and Chemistry
Michael Moore Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Lisa LefkovitzBattelle
September 22, 1999
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Objectives
To define health of winter flounder
• determine condition of liver- chemical burdens- liver histopathology
• determine inorganic and organic contaminants in edible tissue
• define baseline conditions To determine response to effluent transfer
InflowOutflow
Light
ConcernsEcologicalEcological Nutrients ContaminantsContaminants Organic Material Food Chain Community Structure Living ResourcesLiving Resources
Human HealthHuman Health ContaminantsContaminants Bacteria Viruses BioaccumulationBioaccumulation
SEDIMENT
Mammals
Infauna
Piscivorous Fish
Zooplankton
Phytoplankton
Planktivorous Fish
Epibenthos Lobster
Demersal Demersal FishFish
FlounderFlounder
Regeneration
DetritusParticulate
Microbes
Dissolved
WATER COLUMN
Sources Rivers Boundary Nonpoint EffluentsEffluents
Gas ExchangeExchangeN2, | O2, CO2
ATMOSPHERE
N, P, Si, ON, P, Si, O2,2,,CO,CO22 Microbes
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Sampling Locations
Broad Sound
Mass Bay Outfall
Eastern Cape Cod
Deer Island Flats
Off Nantasket Beach
Flounder Stations
41°4
5'41°45'
42°0
0'42°00'
42°1
5'42°15'
42°3
0'42°30'
71°00'
71°00'
70°45'
70°45'
70°30'
70°30'
70°15'
70°15'
0 5 10 15 Kilometers
Outfall Diffuser
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
LEGEND
N
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder CHV vs time
0
20
40
60
80
100
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
Deer Island FlatsEastern Cape Cod Bay
Future Outfall Site
Nantasket Beach
Broad Sound
Deer Island Flats
Year
Cen
trot
ubul
ar H
ydro
pic
Vacu
olat
ion
(% p
reve
lenc
e)
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Tumors vs time
0
5
10
15
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
summ gph 87-n ALL dta
Eastern Cape Cod Bay
Future Outfall Site
Nantasket Beach
Broad Sound
Deer Island FlatsNote most stations have zero points, especially in later years
Neo
plas
ia (%
pre
vale
nce)
Year
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Fillet tPCB vs timeTotal PCB in Flounder Fillets 1992-1999
Year
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Liver tPCB vs time
Year
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Fillet Hg vs time
Year
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Liver Hg vs time
Year
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Liver Ag vs time
Year
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Liver Pb vs time
Year
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Fillet Chlordane vs CHV
19981996
19971999
19941992
19951993
1996
1995
1992
19981999
1994
19931999
1996
1992
1998
1995
1993 1994
0
20
40
60
80
0 5 10 15 20
Fillet Chlordane ng/g
Eastern Cape Cod BayOutfall SiteDeer Island Flats
Cen
trot
ubul
ar H
V (%
)
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Liver Chlordane vs CHV
19981992
1999
19941996
1993
1997
1995
19991998
1992
1996
1993
1995
1994
1993
1996
1998
1992
1994
1999
1997
1995
0
20
40
60
80
0 50 100 150 200 250 300Liver Chlordane ng/g
Eastern Cape CodBay
Outfall SiteDeer Island FlatsC
entr
otub
ular
HV
(%)
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999PCB
Tis
sue
Con
cent
ratio
n (p
pb w
et w
t) Caution Threshold = 76.2 ppb
Warning Threshold = 1600 ppb*
* The warning threshold is 80% of the FDA level
n = 4
n = 9 n = 2 n = 3
n = 3 n = 3 n = 3
n = 3
Annual Means ( ±95% CI) at Mass Bay Outfall
Flounder PCB Threshold Comparisons
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder DDT Threshold Comparisons
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
DDT
Tiss
ue C
once
ntra
tion
(ppb
wet
wt)
Caution Threshold = 7.99 ppb
Warning Threshold = 4000 ppb*
* The warning threshold is 80% of the FDA level
n = 4
n = 9
n = 2
n = 3n = 3
n = 3n = 3
n = 3
Annual Means ( ±95% CI) at Mass Bay Outfall
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Chlordane Threshold Comparisons
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Chlo
rdan
e Ti
ssue
Con
cent
ratio
ns (p
pb w
et w
t)
Caution Threshold = 2.88 ppb
Warning Threshold = 240 ppb*
* The warning threshold is 80% the FDA level
n = 4
n = 9
n = 2 n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3 n = 3
Annual Means ( ±95% CI) at Mass Bay Outfall
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Dieldrin Threshold Comparisons
-1.0
-0.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Die
ldrin
Tis
sue
Con
cent
ratio
n (p
pb w
et w
t)
Caution Threshold = 0.55 ppb
Warning Threshold = 240 ppb*
* The warning threshold is 80% of the FDA level
n = 4
n = 9n = 2
n = 3
n = 3 n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
Annual Means ( ±95% CI) at Mass Bay Outfall
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Hg Threshold Comparisons
-0.15
-0.10
-0.05
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Mer
cury
Tis
sue
Conc
entr
atio
n (p
pm w
et w
t)
Caution Threshold = 0.17 ppm
Warning Threshold = 0.8 ppm*
* The warning threshold is 80% of the FDA level
n = 4
n = 9
n = 2
n = 3
n = 3n = 3
n = 3 n = 3
Annual Means ( ±95% CI) at Mass Bay Outfall
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Summary
Steady level of organic contaminant burdens and histopathological effects since 1991 - lowest in Eastern Cape Cod Bay, moderate at Future Outfall Site,and highest at Deer Island Flats.
Significant reduction in tumor prevalence at Deer Island in ‘90’s compared to ‘80’s.
Inorganic contaminant burdens do not show the same regiospecificity.
OMSAP Public MeetingSeptember 1999
Flounder Expected Response
Expected response once system outfall complete: • Little change, given the projected low level contaminant
burdens in the secondarily treated effluent. • The major challenge in terms of toxics and their effects:• Has been and is still to promote source reduction • Ongoing effort should see a gradual reduction in the
chemical burden and resultant effects to the extent that the MWRA effluent is responsible for the current observed effects.