Marine pollution problems, North American West Coast

Abstract

Results of investigations of pollution-related problems in coastal waters near the four major population centers (San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle-Tacoma) of the U.S. West Coast revealed a variety of toxic chemicals in bottom sediments and in selected marine species. Associated with some of the most contaminated of these locations were a number of pathological conditions in bottomfish species. Although the various urban locations have not been investigated to the same degree, different patterns in types of pollution-related problems found in these areas were observed. Certain chemicals (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbons, PCBs, DDTs, and copper) were found in high concentrations in samples from specific locations, whereas samples from other locations had substantially lower concentrations. For example, concentrations of DDTs and related compounds were very high in sediments and biota from near Los Angeles; however, concentrations of these chemicals were either markedly lower or below the limits of detection in similar types of samples from the other sites. Conversely, some chemicals, especially certain metals (e.g. cadmium and lead) were found in similar concentrations in samples from some urban and nonurban sites. A variety of pollution-associated pathological conditions (e.g. liver lesions or fin erosion) were identified in bottomfish species from San Diego Bay, the Los Angeles area, and from Commencement and Elliott Bays in Puget Sound. Liver lesions, including neoplasms, have been detected in one or more fish species from the Los Angeles area, San Francisco Bay, and several sites in Puget Sound. The extensive studies at 46 sampling sites in Puget Sound have yielded correlative evidence of a relationship between certain liver diseases in English sole ( Parophrys vetulus) and concentrations of AHs in sediment and metabolites or aromatic compounds in fish bile. High body burdens of toxic chemicals and the presence of pathological conditions have been successfully used as indicators of adverse pollution effects on fish. However, histopathological conditions in fish tend to reflect the effects of chronic, long-term exposures to polluted environments, and provide little indication of acute effects which may be occurring. Therefore, more extensive use of bioassays to evaluate the short-term lethal and sublethal effects of polluted environments is needed. It is generally accepted that the current state-of-the-art in analytical chemistry provides a relatively narrow ‘view’ of the myriad chemicals in the marine environment. Improved and more cost-effective analytical procedures for identifying and quantitating additional toxic contaminants are also needed.