Page 632 - The Toxicology of Fishes

612 The Toxicology of Fishes

New Bedford,
MA
Newark,
NJ

Norfolk,
VA
050 100
KM
FIGURE 13.6 Map of mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) study sites along the east coast of the United States. Newark
Bay in New Jersey and New Bedford Harbor in Massachusetts are contaminated primarily with DLCs. The Elizabeth River
(including the Atlantic Wood site) in Norfolk, Virginia, is contaminated with PAHs and other contaminants associated with
creosote.

The toxicity and tolerance of DLCs have also been investigated in mummichog resident to New
Bedford Harbor, designated a Superfund site because of extensive and heavy PCB contamination (Lake
et al., 1995; Nelson et al., 1996; Pruell et al., 1990; Weaver, 1984). Sediment PCB levels in the most
contaminated areas of New Bedford Harbor have been measured as high 190,000 mg PCB per kg
sediment or 19% by weight (Weaver, 1984). Mummichog inhabiting sites throughout New Bedford

120
Percent Pericardial Edema 80
100

60

40
20

0
0 12 25 50 100
TCDD, pg/g wet weight

FIGURE 13.7 Prevalence of TCDD dose-dependent pathological lesion formation (pericardial edema) in Fundulus het-
eroclitus embryos from a reference site (white bars) and from Newark (dark bars). (From Prince, R. and Cooper K.R.,
Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 14, 579–588, 1995. With permission.)