Comparison of biomonitoring techniques for evaluating effects of jet fuel on bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the simultaneous effects of the water soluble fraction (WSF) of JP-4, a common military and civilian jet fuel, on survival, ventilatory rate, preference-avoidance behavior, and blood enzymes and ions of the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis rnacrochirus) to determine possible interrelationships and which procedures might be most descriptive of sublethal stress. The dynamic 96-h LCSO for WSF JP-4 was 26.2% (percent of the maximum soluble amount of JP-4). A concentration of 5.1% WSF JP-4 caused a detectable shift in ventilatory functions (rate and amplitude); this concentration was equivalent to the 96-h LCOl. Fish did not display a strong preference-avoidance reaction when exposed to WSF JP-4. Some avoidance occurred at 3.5% and 4.9% WSF JP-4. At concentrations near the 96-h LCSO fish appeared to lose their ability to detect WSF JP-4, indicating potential for fish not to avoid lethal levels of WSF JP-4. Few significant changes in whole and serum blood parameters were measured in fish exposed to 13% WSF JP-4; at near lethal concentrations changes were primarily attributed to osmoregulatory failure. Therefore such changes in blood parameters would not be useful to validate or confirm exposure to WSF JP-4. There were few significant changes in gill and liver histology of fish exposed to WSF JP-4 other than an increase in size or number of lipid vacuoles in the liver of exposed fish.