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Up a creek without a fin: Applying bioeffects tools to investigate fish fin erosion in an industrial effluent impacted freshwater stream
Citation:
Blackwell, B., G. Ankley, C. Blanksma, J. Cavallin, K. Dean, K. Jensen, M. Kahl, S. Poole, C. Tilton, AND Dan Villeneuve. Up a creek without a fin: Applying bioeffects tools to investigate fish fin erosion in an industrial effluent impacted freshwater stream. SETAC North America, Sacramento, CA, November 04 - 08, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
Effects-based approaches to environmental monitoring can help fill data-gaps relative to chemical monitoring alone. An effects-based approach using caged fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and pathway-based bioassays was employed at a freshwater stream receiving finished industrial effluent. Fish surveys had identified individual fish with severe fin erosion, but the potential chemical causes remain unknown. This study will help demonstrate how current effects-based approaches can be applied to supplement traditional chemical monitoring approaches and inform challenging environmental quality scenarios.
Description:
Fish surveys in Newton Creek, a small tributary of Lake Superior, identified abnormalities in resident fish in 2016-17. The primary observation of fin loss or fin erosion could not be readily attributed to known chemical agents. This tributary receives finished industrial effluent, which contributes a complex mixture of chemicals to the system. Bioeffects-based approaches were employed at the creek to elucidate perturbed biological pathways and potential causative chemicals. Caged fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were deployed for 14 days at two sites along the creek near the effluent source (21st St) and further downstream (3rd St), and at a nearby creek not receiving finished effluent (Faxon Creek). Following in situ exposure, phenotypic responses such as fin abnormalities were recorded and tissues (plasma, liver, gonad, fin clips) collected for biochemical and gene expression analysis. A composite water sampler was deployed in parallel with caged fish to collect an integrated sample representative of the full exposure period. Composite samples were used for chemical characterization (metals, PAHs, total hydrocarbons) and for biological characterization using a number of cell-based bioassays. Caged fish showed sex-specific mortality following 14 d exposure, with full female survival at all sites but male survival reduced by 17% at Faxon Creek and 42% at 3rd St. No mortality was observed at the 21st St site. Site specific fin erosion was noted, though not to the extent previously observed in resident fish, with the highest occurrence observed in females at 21st St. Initial screening of site water using a multiplexed bioassay indicated potential perturbation of a number of biological pathways including aryl hydrocarbon receptor, estrogen receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, retinoid X receptor, constitutive androstane receptor, and pregnane X receptor. Chemical and biological results will be discussed as they pertain to potential contributions to observed fin erosion in resident fish.