Journal article
Toxicological characterization of sediments from Baie des Anglais on the St. Lawrence Estuary
Chemosphere (Oxford), Vol.39(6), pp.1019-1035
1999
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/104251
PMID: 10448575
Abstract
The sediments of Baie des Anglais on the St. Lawrence Estuary have a history of environmental contamination, but no information exists relating to their toxicity. The purpose of the present study was to characterize three sites in and near Baie des Anglais, in terms of sediment toxicity and contaminants. Sites 1 and 2 within the Baie des Anglais are relatively close to local industry and municipal sewage discharge points, while Site 3 is outside the bay. Three microscale bioassays, Microtox® , echinoderm fertilization and Toxi-ChromoPad®, showed that sediments from Site 1 were the most toxic, followed by Site 2. Site 3 was non-toxic. While the solid phase Microtox® test did indicate that Site 1 was most toxic, the absolute response was weak. Liver cytochrome P450 lAl mRNA in American plaice (
Hippoglossoides platessoides), captured at Site 1 in the bay was significantly induced compared to the P450 system of plaice captured at Sites 2 and 3. Hepatic metallothionein mRNA levels were not significantly different between plaice captured at all three sites. Sediment chemical analyses revealed a gradient in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans (PCDF) with the highest levels recorded at Site l, about 10-fold less at Site 2 and 100-fold less at Site 3. Amongst the organochlorines the PCDF group were deemed the most important due to their prevalence and known toxicity. Heavy metal concentrations were low and representative of background levels for the St. Lawrence Estuary.
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Details
- Title
- Toxicological characterization of sediments from Baie des Anglais on the St. Lawrence Estuary
- Creators
- Kenneth Lee - Marine Environmental Sciences Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, C.P. 1000, Mont-Joli, Quebec, G5H 3Z4, CanadaJames J Nagler - Marine Environmental Sciences Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, C.P. 1000, Mont-Joli, Quebec, G5H 3Z4, CanadaMichel Fournier - Marine Environmental Sciences Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, C.P. 1000, Mont-Joli, Quebec, G5H 3Z4, CanadaMichel Lebeuf - Marine Environmental Sciences Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, C.P. 1000, Mont-Joli, Quebec, G5H 3Z4, CanadaDaniel G Cyr - Marine Environmental Sciences Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, C.P. 1000, Mont-Joli, Quebec, G5H 3Z4, Canada
- Publication Details
- Chemosphere (Oxford), Vol.39(6), pp.1019-1035
- Academic Unit
- UNKNOWN
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Identifiers
- 99900546865801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article