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GERMINOMAS AND TERATOID SIPHON ANOMALIES IN SOFTSHELL CLAMS, MYA ARENARIA, ENVIRONMENTALLY EXPOSED TO HERBICIDES
Citation:
Gardner, G.R., P. Yevich, J. Hurst, P. Thayer, S. Benyi, J. Harshbarger, AND R. Pruell. GERMINOMAS AND TERATOID SIPHON ANOMALIES IN SOFTSHELL CLAMS, MYA ARENARIA, ENVIRONMENTALLY EXPOSED TO HERBICIDES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-91/079 (NTIS PB91196592).
Description:
Seminomas and dysgerminomas are episodic in softshell clams, Mya arenaria, from three Maine estuaries contaminated with herbicides. he first epizootic was discovered in 22% of clams collected as Searsport near Long Cove Brook and three culverts that conveyed heating oil and jet fuel spilled from a tank farm in 1971. ata from subsequent epizootiological studies and a series of long-term experimental exposure of softshell clams to no. 2 fuel oil, JP-4, and JP-5 jet fuel at the U.S. EPA, Environmental Research Laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island, and in the field did not support an etiology by these petroleum products. n the two recent epizootics reported here, the germinomas have been observed in 3% of the softshell clams collected from Roque Bluffs near Machiasport and from 35% of softshell clams collected from Dennysville, ya collected at Dennysville had pericardial mesotheliomas and teratoid siphon anomalies in addition to gonadal neoplasms. stuaries at Dennysville had been contaminated by herbicides in a 1979 accidental spray overdrift during aerial application of Tordon 101 to adjacent forests. urther investigation determined widespread use of the herbicides Tordon 101, 2,4-D,2,45-T, and other agrochemicals in an extensive forestry and blueberry industry in both the Roque Bluffs and the Dennysville areas. erbicide applications at Searsport were confirmed for railroad property bordering Long Cove estuary and for Long Cove Brook adjacent to the estuary where a highway department reportedly cleans its spray equipment. erbicide contamination is the only common denominator identified at all three sites where Mya have been found with gonadal neoplasms. he suggested association of herbicides with gonadal neoplasms in clams is strengthened by the increased incidence of seminomas observed in military working dogs exposed to defoliating herbicides with gonadal neoplasms in clams is strengthened by the increased incidence of seminomas observed in military working dogs exposed to defoliating herbicides in Vietnam between 1967 and 1972.