Keith R. Cooper, Ph.D. Dean of Research & Graduate Programs Liberty Science Center August 4, 2005

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1 Keith R. Cooper, Ph.D. Dean of Research & Graduate Programs Liberty Science Center August 4, 2005

2 What is Toxicology? The study of adverse effects that result from exposure to a substance. Naturally occurring or ANTHROPOGENIC: manmade or caused by man. Can you give some examples? What makes a compound toxic? What compounds are not toxic? Is a Toxin = to a Toxic Compound?

3 Acute versus Chronic Toxicity Acute normally is assumed as a rapid onset with fatality as a common endpoint (24-72 hours). Acute die-offs are much less common in the estuary and the river due to regulations for spill or discharge into the river. (Oil spills or thermal stress). Chronic toxicity is more insidious. What are some of the endpoints considered for chronic toxicity? (Cancer and reproductive effects)

4 Different levels of Impact! Biotic Effects Individual Population Community Ecosystem Abiotic Effects TIME

5 How Small is Small in the Aquatic Toxic World? One Part Per Million: 1 postage stamp on the surface of a baseball diamond or 1 inch in 16 miles. One Part Per Billion: 1 postage stamp on 500 foot-ball fields or 1 inch in 10 trips from Chicago to San Francisco. One Part Per Trillion: 1 postage stamp on the area of Dallas or 1 inch in 5,000 trips from coast to coast in the U.S.

6 Hudson River Estuary This represents a vast watershed that starts in Up-State New York and is joined at the mouth by the other rivers from N.J. and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Pollution enters from many different sources.

7 Where Does All The Pollution come From? Atmospheric deposition (Air-shed). Terrestrial sources. Point sources (direct discharge). non-point sources (road run-off). Watersheds act as a collecting area for particle associated contamination and water-soluble contaminants.

8 What characteristics of a compound make it more of Hazard? Persistence in the environment. Toxic at environmental levels. Bioaccumulation and or biomagnification. Alters a basic biochemical pathway that is present in a lot of species. Hazard = Risk x Exposure

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10 U.S. Geological Survey s s Water Resources Mission: Strickland et al The USGS has the principle responsibility in the Federal government for providing hydrologic information and for appraising the Nation s s water resources, Hydrologic and ancillary data are used in research and hydrologic studies to describe the quantity, quality, and location of the Nation s water resources, The collection, analysis, and interpretation of these data is done in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local agencies, universities, and research centers.

11 Organic Wastewater Contaminants Manufactured and used in large quantities, Potentially associated with domestic, industrial, or agricultural wastewaters, Examples: pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, hormones, personal care products, and commercial and industrial products, Diversity of uses and origins, Variety of environmental pathways.

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13 MOST FREQUENTLY DETECTED COMPOUNDS IN SAMPLES OF STREAM AND RAW WATER Pharmaceutical/Antibiotic Flame retardant/plasticizer Fragrance Pesticide Plant/Animal steroid Detergent metabolite Disinfectant Other

14 Species Diversity & the Foodweb

15 Soil Erosion Contributes to Sediment Loads Entering Rivers

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17 Atmospheric Deposition Crosses State and National Boundaries

18 Acid Rain Is Still a Major Issue

19 Particulates and Chemical Contamination

20 What Types of Pollutants are Present? Sediment Loading (Turbidity & Silting) Metal Contamination (Copper, Mercury, Lead, Cadmium) PCBs and Dioxins/Furans Oil Fecal Contamination

21 Pesticides (Examples: Insecticides, Herbicides and unwanted by-products) DDT actually DDE is the more persistent metabolite (Broad spectrum insecticide). Run-off from yards (2,4D, pyrethroids). Atrazine used heavily on corn and travels great distances. Unintentional by-products (2,3,7,8-TCDD from 2,4,5-T T production for Agent Orange)

22 New Invaders New Diseases 63 Species of Mosquitoes 15 Biting pests 2 Recent invasive species Aedes albopictus Ochlerotatus japonicus West Nile Virus caused the spraying of Malathione on estuaries that was inappropriate.

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24 Long-term Monitoring for Evaluating Contaminant Trends and Remediation Impacts on the Ecosystem Establish a battery of Biomarkers that can be used to establish the health of the biota within the system using both wild populations and introduced sentinels. Couple this with input information from non- point and point source contamination for specific stations within the bay network. Monitor if remediation action is taken does it impact the loading into the system or how does it impact the sediment sink that is already present.

25 Interpretation of Concentration and Effect (Salazar & Salazar 2005)

26 Comparison of Field and Laboratory Results

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30 Effects are Dose Dependent

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32 Conclusions The Hudson River is cleaning up, but removal of PCB hot spots by dredging will help eliminate continued contamination for decades. The Newark Bay and Associated rivers are currently be evaluated Dioxins and Heavy Metals and will be still a source of contamination. Historical Industrial footprints will be felt for many years as well as the large population using the waterways. A number of species are above safe levels for consumption especially Blue crabs and larger fatty fish. The estuary is coming back slowly, Mother Nature is very resilient.