U.S. Dept Commerce/NOAA/NMFS/NWFSC/Publications NOAA-NWFSC Tech Memo-4: National Benthic Surveillance Project: Northeast Coast RESULTS 
Chemical Characterization of Sampling Sites

Sediment Contaminant Levels at Sampling Sites

In Table 4, the 19 of the 22 sampling sites for which chemistry data are available are ranked according to sediment concentrations of the major classes of chemical contaminants (i.e., LAHs, HAHs, total AHs, PCBs, DDTs, and chlordanes) measured in this study. Specific compounds included in the major classes are listed in Table 3. In addition to chlordanes, a number of other chlorinated non-DDT pesticides (i.e., lindane, mirex, heptachlor, heptachlor expoxide, aldrin, dieldrin and hexachlorobenzene) were present in sediments and tissues from some Northeast Coast sampling sites (Brown et al. in prep.), but because of their relatively low concentrations (e.g. < 100 ng/g dry wt in liver and 3 ng/g dry wt in sediments), they were not included as risk factors for pathological conditions in the logistic regression analyses.

The highest concentrations of contaminants were found at the Mystic River and Quincy Bay sites in Boston Harbor. Sediments from these two sites contained high concentrations of a wide variety of organic compounds, including both low and high molecular weight AHs, PCBs, DDTs, and chlordanes. Several sites within Raritan Bay (e.g., Gravesend Bay, East Reach, and West Reach) also had relatively high levels of AHs, DDTs, PCBs, and chlordanes. New Bedford Harbor had the highest level of PCBs in sediment of all the sampling sites, but concentrations of other classes of contaminants were low to moderate. Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts, Rocky Point in Long Island Sound, and the Plymouth Entrance site in Massachusetts Bay had the lowest concentrations of all classes of contaminants in sediment. Detailed information on actual concentrations of compounds in sediment at the Northeast Coast sampling sites is given in Brown et al. (in prep.).

Patterns of Occurrence of Contaminants Within Sediment

In many cases, different classes of chemical contaminants tended to occur together at polluted urban sites (Table 5). Concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons (Total AHs, HAHs, and LAHs) measured in sediment were highly intercorrelated (0.8 > r > 0.9). Various classes of chlorinated hydrocarbons (i.e., chlordanes, PCBs, and DDTs) also tended to co-occur (0.8 < r < 0.9). In addition, sediment AHs levels highly correlated (r = 0.9) with concentrations of chlordanes in sediment. The correlation was particularly strong because of the influence of Mystic River and Quincy Bay in Boston Harbor. These two sites, which had the highest levels of AHs in sediment of all the Northeast sites, also had high levels of chlordanes in sediment. Weaker, but still significant correlations (0.7 > r > 0.75) were also observed between sediment AH concentrations and levels of PCBs and DDTs in sediment. Although in general, AHs, PCBs, DDTs, and chlordanes tended to co-occur in sediments at the Northeast sampling sites, the Clarks Point site in New Bedford Harbor was a notable exception; this site had the highest levels of PCBs of all the Northeast sites but low to moderate levels of DDTs and AHs.

Contaminant Levels in Sediments, Stomach Contents, and Tissues

For all major classes of contaminants measured in this study, chemical concentrations in sediment were positively correlated with concentrations in winter flounder stomach contents (Table 6), indicating that the organisms which serve as prey items for winter flounder take up and accumulate a variety of organic contaminants from sediment. Moreover, for concentrations of all organic contaminants measured in this study, significant correlations were observed between contaminant concentrations in stomach contents and liver or bile (Table 6), suggesting that, in winter flounder, an important route of exposure to environmental pollutants is through the diet. Significant correlations between concentrations of several contaminants in sediment (i.e., AHs, PCBs, and chlordanes) and levels of the same compounds or their metabolites in liver or bile were observed. However, relationships were generally not as strong as those with levels of contaminants in stomach contents, and for DDTs, the correlation was not statistically significant. This may be because animals tend to accumulate compounds such as DDTs and other pesticides over time, so their body burdens may not necessarily be correlated with contaminant levels in sediment from the areas where they are sampled.

Stomach Contents Taxonomy

Taxonomic analysis of stomach contents of winter flounder indicated that the types of food organisms varied considerably from site to site (Fig. 3). Because the invertebrates that serve as food sources for winter flounder and other benthic fish species vary in their ability to metabolize xenobiotic compounds (Varanasi et al. in press, Livingston 1991) and may contain different levels and forms of various toxicants, the type of food organism consumed could potentially have a significant effect on types and amounts of contaminants which fish are exposed to through their prey. Preliminary analyses suggested that concentrations of contaminants in stomach contents were much more highly correlated with contaminant levels in sediment than with the type of food organism that was consumed. The data available are quite limited, however, and further analyses are needed to evaluate the effect of diet on contaminant uptake in a comprehensive manner.
Figure 3. Taxonomic composition (% by weight) of stomach contents of winter flounder from selected East Coast sampline sites. Samples were collected during Cycle 5 (1988). Site abbreviations are defined in Table 1. Hepatic Lesions 
Hepatic Lesion Prevalences and Intersite Comparisons

Neoplasms. Several different types of neoplasms were observed in winter flounder from the Northeast Coast. Of the 41 neoplasms observed, 56% were hepatocellular in origin, 34% were cholangiocellular, and 10% were vascular. Types of neoplasms included hepatocellular adenomas (49%), cholangiomas (9%), hepatocellular carcinomas (14%), cholangiocellular carcinomas (22%), hemangiomas (8%), and hemangioendothelial sarcomas (3%). The prevalence of neoplasms in winter flounder (see Appendix Table A4) was significantly elevated in comparison with the Long Island Sound, Rocky Point reference site at 10 of the 22 sampling sites (Figs. 4-5). These sites included Hull Bay (8.3%, n=60), Deer Island (6.8%, n=147), Long Island (2.3%, n=42), and Mystic River (2.3%, n=86) in Boston Harbor (Fig. 4); Buzzards Bay (1.7%, n=60) (Fig. 4); Gravesend Bay (5.2%, n=58) and West Reach (3.6%, n=56) in Raritan Bay (Fig. 5); and Lloyd Point (2.3%, n=87) and New Haven (3.3%, n=30) in Long Island Sound (Fig. 5).

Foci of Cellular Alteration. Preneoplastic focal lesions observed included eosinophilic, basophilic, and clear cell foci of cellular alteration (FCA). The most common were basophilic foci, accounting for 64% of the preneoplastic lesions observed. Clear cell foci and eosinophilic foci accounted for 19 and 17%, respectively, of observed cases of preneoplastic lesions. Significantly elevated prevalences of FCA were found at three sampling sites: Buzzards Bay (6.7%, n=60) (Fig. 4), Deer Island in Boston Harbor (6.1%, n=147) (Fig. 4), and Gravesend in Raritan Bay (6.9%, n=58) (Fig. 5).

Proliferative Lesions. Non-neoplastic proliferative liver lesions observed included hepatocellular regeneration (36%), bile duct hyperplasia (38%), cholangiofibrosis (12%), and increased mitotic activity of hepatocytes or biliary epithelial cells (14%). Significantly elevated prevalences of non-neoplastic proliferative liver lesions were found at only two sites, Deer Island (11.6%, n=147) and Mystic River (5.8%, n=86) in Boston Harbor (Fig. 4).

Unique Degenerative Lesions. Unique degenerative or necrotic lesions observed in winter flounder included nuclear pleomorphism and spongiosis hepatis (also known as cystic degeneration of parenchyma). Mild-to-moderate nuclear pleomorphism was noted at low prevalences at 16 of the 22 sampling sites, including the Rocky Point reference sites in Long Island Sound, but no significant intersite differences were found. Prevalences of spongiosis hepatis, on the other hand, were significantly elevated at six sampling sites: Hull Bay, Deer Island, Quincy Bay, and President Roads in Boston Harbor, the Folgers Point site in Salem Harbor (Fig. 4), and the New Haven site in Long Island Sound (Fig. 5).
Figure 4. Prevalences of hepatic lesions in winter flounder from the northern East Coast. Asterisk (*) indicates prevalence is significantly higher (G-statistic, p<0.05) than prevalence at Rocky Point reference site in Long Island Sound. FCA=foci of cellular alteration. Site abbreviations are defined in Table 1. For actual prevalence values, see Appendix Table A-3. 
Hydropic Vacuolation. Of all the toxicopathic lesions, hydropic vacuolation of hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells was the most commonly observed, with elevated prevalences at 15 of the 22 sampling sites. These sites were Mystic River (48.8%, n=86), Deer Island (43.5%, n=147), President Roads (35.7%, n=42), Quincy Bay (33.9%, n=62), and Hull Bay (33.3%, n=60) in Boston Harbor (Fig. 4); West Reach (46%, n=56), Gravesend (43.1%, n=58), East Reach (33.3%, n=117), and Upper Bay (18.3%, n=60) in Raritan Bay (Fig. 5); Norwalk (41.3%, n=29), New Haven (36.7%, n=30), and Lloyd Point (10.3%, n=87) in Long Island Sound (Fig. 5); Folgers Point in Salem Harbor (23.3%, n=120); Black Point in Niantic Bay (14.8%, n=135) (Figs. 3-4); and Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay (9.6%, n=94) (Fig. 4).

Necrotic Lesions. Elevated prevalences of nonspecific necrotic lesions were also found at a number of sites, including: Quincy Bay (25.8%, n=62), President Roads (23.8%, n=42), Hull Bay (18.3%, n=60), and Mystic River (17.4%, n=86) in Boston Harbor (Fig. 4); Buzzards Bay (18.3%, n=60) (Fig. 4); West Reach (21.4%, n=56) and Gravesend (15.5%, n=58) in Raritan Bay (Fig. 5); and New Haven (20.0%, n=30) and Lloyd Point (13.8%, n=87) in Long Island Sound (Fig. 5).
Figure 5. Prevalences of hepatic lesions in winter flounder from the southern East Coast. Asterisk (*) indicates prevalence is significantly higher (G-statistic, p<0.05) than prevalence at Rocky Point reference site in Long Island Sound. FCA=foci of cellular alteration. Site abbreviations are defined in Table 1. For actual prevalence values, see Appendix Table A-3. Risk Factors Associated with Hepatic Lesion Occurrence in Individual Fish 
Risk factors which were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with lesion occurrence and their corresponding calculated odds ratios are presented in Table 7. As the table shows, for all categories of hepatic lesions, excepting nuclear pleomorphism, the risk of lesion occurrence increased significantly with increasing fish age. In general, the gender of the animal examined did not have a significant influence, although females appeared to have a slightly decreased risk of developing neoplasms and spongiosis hepatis. In males collected during spring NBSP sampling (n=378), the prevalences of neoplasms and spongiosis hepatis were 3.2% (n=378) and 1.9% (n=378), respectively. For females (n=916) collected during this period the prevalence of neoplasms was 1.13%, while the prevalence of spongiosis hepatis was 0.55%. Residence at a number of the sampling sites was associated with an increased risk of disease in comparison with the risk in fish from the reference site at Rocky Point in Long Island Sound. In general, the highest relative risks were computed for fish from sites in contaminated estuaries, such as the Hudson-Raritan Estuary or Boston Harbor. Fish from Deer Island and Hull Bay in Boston Harbor, and West Reach and Gravesend in Raritan Bay, were 4 to 21 times more likely to develop neoplasms than animals sampled from other areas. A four- to sevenfold increase in the risk of FCA was associated with residence at Deer Island and Mystic River in Boston Harbor, Buzzards Bay, and Gravesend in Raritan Bay. Fish from Mystic River and Deer Island in Boston Harbor were approximately 2 to 4 times as likely to develop proliferative liver lesions as animals from other sites, while fish from New Haven in Long Island Sound were 4 times as likely to develop nuclear pleomorphism, and fish from President Roads in Boston Harbor were 13 times as likely as reference animals to be affected with spongiosis hepatis. The risk of hydropic vacuolation was significantly increased at 10 of the 22 sampling sites: Mystic River, Deer Island, President Roads, Hull Bay, and Quincy Bay in Boston Harbor; East Reach and Gravesend in Raritan Bay; Norwalk and New Haven in Long Island Sound; and Folgers Point in Salem Harbor. The increase ranged from approximately 2.5-fold at Salem Harbor to over tenfold at Mystic River. Fish from Mystic River, Hull Bay, Quincy Bay and President Roads in Boston Harbor, and West Reach in Raritan Bay were 2 to 3 times more likely to be affected with nonspecific necrotic lesions than comparable fish from the reference site.

In female fish sampled in both winter and spring, the season of sampling had a significant impact on prevalences of two categories of lesions: hydropic vacuolation and nonspecific necrotic lesions (Table 8). Prevalences of both of these lesions were significantly elevated in spring in comparison to lesion prevalences in winter. In spring, hydropic vacuolation was found in 31% and necrotic lesions in 13% of winter flounder sampled, while in winter, only 9% (hydropic vacuolation) and 6% (necrotic lesions) of flounder from the same sampling sites were affected. These differences were particularly notable at contaminated sites such as Deer Island and Mystic River in Boston Harbor.

Relationships Between Chemical Contaminants and Hepatic Lesion Prevalences

Of all the hepatic lesions monitored in this study, hydropic vacuolation showed the strongest and most consistent relationships with contaminants in tissue, stomach contents, and sediment (Tables 9-11). Hydropic vacuolation was associated with concentrations of LAHs, HAHs, total AHs, DDTs, and chlordanes in sediments. Similar relationships were found between concentrations of AHs, DDTs, and chlordanes in stomach contents and prevalences of this lesion. The risk of hydropic vacuolation was also increased at sites where flounder had elevated levels of FACs in bile and chlordanes and DDTs in liver tissue. However, no relationship was observed between hydropic vacuolation and PCB concentrations in sediment, stomach contents, or liver tissue.

Nonspecific necrotic lesions also showed positive associations with a number of classes of chemical contaminants. All classes of contaminants in sediment except for PCBs proved to be significant risk factors for necrotic lesions. In addition, necrotic lesions were associated with elevated levels of LAHs, DDTs, and chlordanes in stomach contents, and with elevated biliary FAC concentrations. No relationship was found, however, between necrotic lesion prevalences and any class of chlorinated hydrocarbons measured in winter flounder liver.

Prevalences of other categories of degenerative or regenerative hepatic lesions (i.e., spongiosis hepatis, nonneoplastic proliferative lesions, and nuclear pleomorphism) were less closely associated with concentrations of organic contaminants in sediments and fish than hydropic vacuolation and necrotic lesions. The prevalence of spongiosis hepatis was positively associated with concentrations of chlordanes in stomach contents (Table 10), but not with levels of contaminants in liver or bile. Non-neoplastic proliferative lesions showed no relationship with sediment contaminant concentrations, but were positively associated with concentrations of chlordanes in stomach contents and liver. Nuclear pleomorphism showed no relationship to concentrations of any class of contaminants in sediment, stomach contents, bile, or liver tissue.

No significant positive associations were found between prevalences of neoplasms or FCA and levels of measured contaminants in sediment, liver tissue or bile (Tables 9 and 11). However, both neoplasms and FCA were positively associated with concentrations of LAHs and chlordanes in stomach contents (Table 10).
Renal Lesions
Renal Lesion Prevalences

Kidney lesions were observed less frequently than liver lesions in winter flounder, but elevated prevalences could be observed at some sites (Fig. 6, Appendix Table A5). Proliferative kidney lesions were observed at only four sites: Buzzards Bay (1.64%, n=61), Deer Island in Boston Harbor (0.83%, n=121), Folgers Point in Salem Harbor (1.65%, n=121) and East Reach in Raritan Bay (0.87%, n=115). Necrotic lesions were observed at six sites: Buzzards Bay (1.64%, n=61); Plymouth Entrance in Massachusetts Bay (1.67%, n=60); Deer Island (4.1%, n=121); East Boston (1.69%, n=59); and Hull Bay (1.67%, n=60) in Boston Harbor; and West Reach in Raritan Bay (1.8%, n=55). Sclerotic lesions were more common, with elevated prevalences at 11 of the 19 sites sampled. These sites were Buzzards Bay (4.9%, n=61); Clarks Point in New Bedford Harbor (1.8%, n=55); Deer Island (5.8%, n=121); Mystic River (1.7%, n=59); Hull Bay (3.33%, n=60); and Quincy Bay (6.8%, n=59) in Boston Harbor; Folgers Point in Salem Harbor (0.83%, n=121); Black Point in Niantic Bay (7.0%, n=86); West Reach (1.8%, n=55); Upper Bay (1.69%, n=59); and East Reach (1.74%, n=115) in Raritan Bay; and New Haven in Long Island Sound (13.8%, n=29).
Figure 6. Prevalences of kidney lesions in winter flounder from the East Coast. Asterisk (*) indicates prevalence is significantly higher (G-statistic, p<0.05) than prevalence at Rocky Point reference site in Long Island Sound. Site abbreviations are defined in Table 1. For actual prevalence values, see Appendix Table A-4. Risk Factors Associated with Renal Lesion Occurrence in Individual Fish 
An increased risk of the development of certain kidney lesions was associated with residence at several sites (Table 7). Fish from the Folgers Point site in Salem Harbor and the Buzzards Bay site were about nine times more likely to have proliferative kidney lesions than fish of comparable age and gender from the comparison site at Rocky Point is Long Island Sound. Fish from the Deer Island site in Boston Harbor showed a tenfold increase in the risk of necrotic lesions. The risk of sclerotic lesions was 4 to 5 times greater in fish from the New Haven site in Long Island Sound and Black Point site in Niantic Bay. In addition, fish age was a significant risk factor for necrotic and sclerotic kidney lesions; and females were significantly less likely to be affected by necrotic renal lesions.

Relationships Between Chemical Contaminants and Renal Lesion Prevalences

In general, the classes of kidney lesions examined in this study showed little relationship with exposure to environmental contaminants (Tables 12- 14). Concentrations of AHs in stomach contents were a significant risk factor for renal necrosis, but no relationships were found between necrotic lesions and contaminant levels in sediment, liver, or bile. Sclerotic and proliferative kidney lesions showed no relationship with any indicator of contaminant exposure measured in this study.
Fin Erosion
Fin erosion was diagnosed grossly in 12% of all winter flounder examined. The features necessary for a gross diagnosis of fin erosion included blunting or retraction of fin rays, fusion of fin rays, exposed fin rays, bent fins, loss of fin tissue, and thickening or scarring of connective tissue surrounding the fin tip. In some cases, these lesions were associated with hemorrhage or edema in fin tissue. Often one specimen would exhibit more than one feature at a time. Most common gross features were fin loss (29%), fin ray blunting and retraction (33%), and bent fins (30%).

In 15% of reported cases, fin erosion was observed in association with some type of infectious agent, most commonly with lymphocystis or trematode metacercariae, but generally the condition appeared to be idiopathic. Fins most frequently affected were the caudal fin (51% of lesions), dorsal fin (23%), and anal fin (26%).

Fin Erosion Prevalences

Elevated prevalences of idiopathic fin erosion were found at 9 of 19 sampling sites where fin erosion prevalences were assessed (Fig. 7, Appendix Table A6). These were Buzzards Bay (12.9%, n=62); Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay (8.1%, n=99); Deer Island (23.8%, n=151), Mystic River (31.1%, n=90), Hull Bay (10.0%, n=60), and Quincy Bay (21.9%, n=61) in Boston Harbor; Folgers Point in Salem Harbor (8.2%, n=122); and New Haven (36.7%, n=161) and Norwalk (20%, n=30) in Long Island Sound. The prevalence of fin erosion at the Rocky Point reference site in Long Island Sound was 3.3% (n=60).
Figure 7. Prevalences of fin erosion in winter flounder from the East Coast. Asterisk (*) indicates prevalence is significantly higher (G-statistic, p<0.05) than prevalence at Rocky Point reference site in Long Island Sound (in italics). Site abbreviations are defined in Table 1. For actual prevalence values, see Appendix Table A-5. Risk Factors Associated with Fin Erosion Occurrence in Individual Fish 
Fin erosion was most likely to occur in fish from the Mystic River in Boston Harbor and the New Haven site in Long Island Sound, which showed 9 and 12 fold increases in relative risk, respectively (Table 7). Two to four-fold increases in the risk of fin erosion were found at Black Point in Niantic Bay, Deer Island and Quincy Bay in Boston Harbor, and Norwalk in Long Island Sound. In addition, the probability of fin erosion increased significantly with fish age.

Relationships Between Chemical Contaminants and Fin Erosion Prevalences

The prevalence of fin erosion was positively associated with levels of all classes of contaminants in sediment and stomach contents, with the exception of PCBs (Tables 12 and 13). A significant relationship was also observed between fin erosion prevalences and biliary FAC concentrations (Table 14). However, elevated levels of PCBs, DDTs, or chlordanes in flounder liver tissue were not associated with an increased risk of fin erosion (Table 14).
Table of Contents