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Relationship between Body Contaminants and Bone Development in East‐Coast Striped Bass
Author(s) -
Mehrle Paul M.,
Haines Terry A.,
Hamilton Steve,
Ludke J. Larry,
Mayer Foster L.,
Ribick Michael A.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1982)111<231:rbbcab>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - bass (fish) , fishery , environmental science , east coast , biology
Chemical contaminants and bone development were investigated in young‐of‐year striped bass collected in spring, summer, and fall from the Nanticoke, Potomac, and Hudson rivers and Edenton National Fish Hatchery, North Carolina. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) were the most prevalent organic contaminants found in striped bass; relatively lesser amounts of DDT, DDD, DDE, and chlordane were detected. Among the four locations, striped bass from the Hudson River contained the greatest amount of PCB; concentrations significantly increased with collection date in fish from the Hudson and Potomac rivers. Total organochlorine residues in striped bass from the Edenton Hatchery and the Nanticoke River were less than those from the Hudson and Potomac rivers, and the contaminants did not increase significantly with collection date. Arsenic, lead, cadmium, and selenium were the major inorganic contaminants in striped bass in the Hudson, Nanticoke, and Potomac rivers. Cadmium in fish from the Hudson River, and selenium in fish from the Potomac River, increased significantly with collection date; other such correlations were not significant. Mechanical properties of striped bass vertebrae were significantly different among the four locations in both the spring and fall collections. Vertebrae from Hudson River fish had the least strength, stiffness, and toughness, and ruptured under the lowest force. Hatchery striped bass had the strongest and least flexible vertebrae. We suggest from previous laboratory toxicity studies that contaminants such as PCB, cadmium, and lead could weaken vertebral structure, and thus affect survival of larvae and abundance of striped bass stocks.