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6 The Toxicology of Fishes
in Chapter 16, “Biomarkers”; information provided here includes descriptions of a broad array of
biomarkers and examples of their application in biomonitoring. In Chapter 17, “Aquatic Ecosystems for
Ecotoxicological Research: Considerations and Design Analysis for Fish,” the importance of research
at higher, ecologically relevant levels of biological organization (populations, communities, and ecosys-
tems) is described, and examples of appropriate designs are provided. Finally, Chapter 18, “Ecological
Risk Assessment,” deals with the translation of ecotoxicological research into environmental management
and policy; the approach of risk assessment considers data on exposure to and toxicity of chemical
contaminants, sensitivities of organisms that are likely to be exposed, and the quantitative assessment
of risks to aquatic systems.
In Unit IV, “Case Studies,” a group of seven chapters provides ample examples of how the principles
and approaches presented in earlier units are actually deployed in studies, particularly in the field; for
example, Chapter 19 presents an analysis of mining and effects on fish in a Montana river. The study
combines chemistry, biological responses, and ecotoxicological findings. In Chapter 20, the effects of
synthetic pyrethroid compounds in fish are covered. In Chapter 21, mechanistic insight into the early-
life-stage toxicity of certain chemicals is used to assess risks to Great Lakes fish. Both the subject of
this field evaluation as well as its use of early life stages are of great interest given recent recommendations
by REACH legislation in the European Union to refine, reduce, and reevaluate the use of animals in
toxicity testing. Chapter 22 is concerned with the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fish
from Puget Sound, Washington. Chapter 23 examines the effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on Pacific
herring in Prince William Sound. This investigation involved successive years of evaluation and included
pathology as a backbone of the field investigations. In Chapter 24 addresses the pulp and paper mill
effects studied in streams of Canada; the authors present a consideration of various indicators for the
health of surface waters downstream of paper mills. Chapter 25 provides a detailed review of the estrogen-
mimicking agents released from treated sewage effluent and their effects on fish inhabiting rivers in
England. These case studies illustrate the power of, and absolute need for, highly integrated interdisci-
plinary research teams to address complex issues of chemical pollution in the aquatic environment.
It is our sincere wish that The Toxicology of Fishes will provide a very important teaching tool to
introduce new students to the field, and we envision this effort presenting an opportunity for experienced
authors and investigators to share their findings and expertise with others. Finally, to prepare a thorough
coverage of the toxicology of fishes is a major task and one not completed in a short time due to the
multiple roles of those investigators that agree to take on the task of authorship of one or more chapters.
To assume this responsibility means that yet another set of tasks was placed on an already busy schedule.
To all the participants in this book, we offer our congratulations on a job well done and our sincere
appreciation for your efforts on behalf of this endeavor. Due to these efforts we believe this text will
become a source of useful information that guides worker and student alike.
Additional color figures are available on the CRC website: www.crcpress.com. Under the menu
Electronic Products (located on the left side of the screen), click on Downloads & Updates. A list of
books in alphabetical order with Web downloads will appear. Locate The Toxicology of Fishes by a
search or scroll down to it. After clicking on the book title, a brief summary of the book will appear.
Go to the bottom of this screen and click on the hyperlinked “Download” which is in a zip file. Or,
readers can go directly to the Web download site, which is www.crcpress.com/e_products/down-
loads/default.asp.
References
Ankley, G.T., Daston, G.P., Degitz, S.J., Denslow, N.D., Hoke, R.A., Kennedy, S.W., Miracle, A.L., Perkins,
E.J., Snape, J., Tillitt, D.E., Tyler, C.R., and Versteeg, D. 2006. Toxicogenomics in regulatory ecotoxicol-
ogy, Environ. Sci. Technol., 40: 4055–4065.
Benson, W.H. and Di Giulio, R.T., Eds. 2006. Emerging Molecular and Computational Approaches for Cross-
Species Extrapolations, Taylor & Francis, New York.
Clements, W.H. and Newman, M.C. 2002. Community Ecotoxicology, John Wiley & Sons, New York.