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MACROPHAGE AGGREGATES AS INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS
Citation:
Blazer, V., D. Facey, J. Fournie, L. Courtney, AND K. Summers. MACROPHAGE AGGREGATES AS INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/A-94/114 (NTIS PB94190824), 1994.
Description:
The growing awareness of adverse effects of environmental contamination has lead to scrutiny of various biomarkers as early indicators of these effects. he use of splenic macrophage aggregates (MA) as indicators of fish health and environmental degradation was evaluated using three fish species from four sites. he sites were pan of the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). ater quality, benthic and fish community characteristics, sediment and fish tissue contaminant analysis were all conducted ad these sites. n addition, tissues from pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) and gafftopsail catfish (Bagre marinus) were fished in the field. istological sections of spleen were evaluated using a numerical rating system and image analysis. he MA number, size, and percent of tissue occupied by MAs of each species was compared among sites and related to either tissue or sediment contaminant levels. pot MA parameters were all significantly higher at the site with the highest sediment contaminant levels. atfish accumulated high tissue burdens of most contaminants when compared to other fish collected at the same site. atfish MA parameters were also better indicators of tissue contaminant levels. he usefulness of MA as indicators of environmental stress is supported by this study. hoice of fish species to evaluate sites is discussed.
