Christine Bunck or Tim Bartish. Some of the methods used can be used to evaluate endocrine disruption, such as vitellogenin, reproductive hormones, and histopathology. The purpose of using biomarker and other methods is to provide an indication of the effects of contaminants on aquatic biota in addition to exposure of the organism to contaminants. BEST has used the NCBP sites for trend purposes, and has begun applying these methods to fish collected from those sites. Targeted species are common carp and largemouth bass.
Intentions are to employ the methods at stations distributed nationwide.
All samples from the Mississippi River basin sites have been analyzed and data is being evaluated.