Potential metabolic disruption in juvenile Chinook salmon exposed to a mixture of CECs in the lab and field

Our recent study assessed the occurrence and concentrations of a select number of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in estuary water, effluent, and 2 species of fish from 3 estuaries in Puget Sound, WA, USA including pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PPCPs), and industrial compounds. Several metabolic parameters were assessed in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) residing in two estuaries receiving wastewater treatment effluent and one reference estuary. Several blood chemistry parameters and other indicators of health were measured in fish from the field that were used to assess potential metabolic disruption. The blood chemistry values observed in feral juvenile Chinook salmon were relatively consistent among fish collected from effluent-impacted sites and substantially different compared to reference site fish. These responses were stronger in Chinook salmon, which is supported by the disparity in accumulated CECs. The blood chemistry results for juvenile Chinook salmon collected at effluent-impacted sites exhibited a pattern generally consistent with starvation because of similarities to observations from studies of food-deprived fish; however, this is likely the result of metabolic dysfunction rather than physical starvation. The altered blood chemistry parameters are useful as an early indicator of metabolic stress, even though organismal characteristics (lipid content and condition factor) were not different among sites indicating an early response. We are currently exploring the metabolome for juvenile Chinook salmon and will show some preliminary data highlighting metabolic disruption.