Legacy and emerging toxic contaminants in Pacific sand lance throughout Puget Sound, Washington
Presentation Abstract
Forage fishes such as herring (Clupea sp.), surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), and Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) are an important component in the marine food web as a food source for birds, fish, and marine mammals. In Puget Sound, despite on-going protection and restoration efforts, populations of forage fish appear to be in decline. One contributing factor to these declines might be exposure to toxic anthropogenic compounds in the water and sediment of Puget Sound. Contaminant concentrations previously have been measured in herring, but little is known regarding contaminant body burdens in Pacific sand lance—the focus of this research—or in surf smelt. Due to their burrowing habits, sand lance may be susceptible to increased exposure to sediment-bound anthropogenic chemicals by ingestion of and direct contact with contaminated sediments relative to non-burrowing fish like herring. In support of the USGS Coastal Habitats in Puget Sound program, sand lance were collected during 2010-14 from nine Puget Sound locations ranging from the South Sound (Eld Inlet, Nisqually Reach) to the North Sound (Samish Bay, Lopez Island), including historically contaminated urban areas (Eagle Harbor, Commencement Bay). Composites of whole-body fish tissue from each site were analyzed for a suite of toxic organic contaminants. Current-use chemicals such as chlorinated paraffins, alkylphenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as banned chemicals such as polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides were detected frequently in sand lance tissue throughout Puget Sound. Chemical concentrations were variable, likely reflecting differences in nearshore and basin land use, fish characteristics, and physio-chemical properties of each toxic chemical. A similar suite of contaminants has been measured in other Puget Sound biota, marine sediment, nearshore sediment, and river suspended sediment, suggesting persistent exposure of Puget Sound biota to toxic contaminants.
Session Title
Toxic Contaminants in Salish Sea Biota
Conference Track
Fate and Effects of Pollutants
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Fishes--Effect of water pollution on--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Marine ecosystem health-- Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Legacy and emerging toxic contaminants in Pacific sand lance throughout Puget Sound, Washington
2016SSEC
Forage fishes such as herring (Clupea sp.), surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), and Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) are an important component in the marine food web as a food source for birds, fish, and marine mammals. In Puget Sound, despite on-going protection and restoration efforts, populations of forage fish appear to be in decline. One contributing factor to these declines might be exposure to toxic anthropogenic compounds in the water and sediment of Puget Sound. Contaminant concentrations previously have been measured in herring, but little is known regarding contaminant body burdens in Pacific sand lance—the focus of this research—or in surf smelt. Due to their burrowing habits, sand lance may be susceptible to increased exposure to sediment-bound anthropogenic chemicals by ingestion of and direct contact with contaminated sediments relative to non-burrowing fish like herring. In support of the USGS Coastal Habitats in Puget Sound program, sand lance were collected during 2010-14 from nine Puget Sound locations ranging from the South Sound (Eld Inlet, Nisqually Reach) to the North Sound (Samish Bay, Lopez Island), including historically contaminated urban areas (Eagle Harbor, Commencement Bay). Composites of whole-body fish tissue from each site were analyzed for a suite of toxic organic contaminants. Current-use chemicals such as chlorinated paraffins, alkylphenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as banned chemicals such as polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides were detected frequently in sand lance tissue throughout Puget Sound. Chemical concentrations were variable, likely reflecting differences in nearshore and basin land use, fish characteristics, and physio-chemical properties of each toxic chemical. A similar suite of contaminants has been measured in other Puget Sound biota, marine sediment, nearshore sediment, and river suspended sediment, suggesting persistent exposure of Puget Sound biota to toxic contaminants.
