Changes in reproductive biomarkers in an endangered fish species (bonytail chub, Gila elegans) exposed to low levels of organic wastewater compounds in a controlled experiment

Walker, D. B.; Paretti, N. V.; Cordy, G.; Gross, T. S.; Zaugg, S. D.; Furlong, E. T.; Kolpin, D. W.; Matter, W. J.; Gwinn, J.; McIntosh, D.

Abstract:

In arid regions of the southwestern United States, municipal wastewater treatment plants commonly discharge treated effluent directly into streams that would otherwise be dry most of the year. A better understanding is needed of how effluent-dependent waters (EDWs) differ from more natural aquatic ecosystems and the ecological effect of low levels of environmentally persistent organic wastewater compounds (OWCs) with distance from the pollutant source. In a controlled experiment, we found 26 compounds common to municipal effluent in treatment raceways all at concentrations <1.0 ??g/L. Male bonytail chub (Gila elegans) in tanks containing municipal effluent had significantly lower levels of 11-ketotestosterone (p = 0.021) yet higher levels of 17??-estradiol (p = 0.002) and vitellogenin (p = 0.036) compared to control male fish. Female bonytail chub in treatment tanks had significantly lower concentrations of 17??-estradiol than control females (p = 0.001). The normally inverse relationship between primary male and female sex hormones, expected in un-impaired fish, was greatly decreased in treatment (r = 0.00) versus control (r = -0.66) female fish. We found a similar, but not as significant, trend between treatment (r = -0.45) and control (r = -0.82) male fish. Measures of fish condition showed no significant differences between male or female fish housed in effluent or clean water. Inter-sex condition did not occur and testicular and ovarian cells appeared normal for the respective developmental stage and we observed no morphological alteration in fish. The population-level impacts of these findings are uncertain. Studies examining the long-term, generational and behavioral effects to aquatic organisms chronically exposed to low levels of OWC mixtures are needed. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

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Article

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70036683

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Walker, D. B.; Paretti, N. V.; Cordy, G.; Gross, T. S.; Zaugg, S. D.; Furlong, E. T.; Kolpin, D. W.; Matter, W. J.; Gwinn, J.; McIntosh, D.

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143

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English

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Aquatic Toxicology

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Changes in reproductive biomarkers in an endangered fish species (bonytail chub, Gila elegans) exposed to low levels of organic wastewater compounds in a controlled experiment; 2009; Article; Journal; Aquatic Toxicology; Walker, D. B.; Paretti, N. V.; Cordy, G.; Gross, T. S.; Zaugg, S. D.; Furlong, E. T.; Kolpin, D. W.; Matter, W. J.; Gwinn, J.; McIntosh, D.