Bioindicators of contaminant exposure and sublethal effects: Studies with benthic fish in puget sound, Washington

A suite of chemical and biochemical variables responsive to contaminant exposure 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, Washington, to assess the sensitivity of the parameters to differences in levels of contaminant exposure The examined indexes were levels of (a) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in liver, (b) fluorescent aromatic compounds in bile, (c) hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and ethoxy-resorufin O deethylase, (d) total hepatic GSH and (e) hydrophobic DNA xenobiotic adducts in liver as measured by 32P postlabeling The sediment concentrations of PCBs and the sum of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at the sampling sites ranged from 21 to 570 and 21 to 5,300 ng/g wet weight sediment, respectively The results showed (a) that all the examined indexes could discriminate among sites exhibiting different degrees of chemical contamination, (b) that species differed in the range of response of most of the measured indexes, and (c) that the use of the indexes in concert appeared to enhance the assessment of contaminant exposure and sublethal effects