CHAPTER 13 . Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Marine Environment
319
tween epidermal diseases and contaminants in four populations of dolphins but that
there were highly significant correlations with oceanographic variables such as low
salinity and temperature.
13.4.5
Humans
Although the focus of this chapter is on endocrine disruption in the marine environment, it is also pertinent to consider the effects on humans, particularly those who
rely on the marine ecosystem for significant parts of their diet. That such effects may
be relevant has recently been demonstrated by Fournier et al. (2000), who demonstrated that immunosuppression can be observed in mice fed on beluga whale meat
from both the st. Lawrence Estuary and Arctic Sea. Recently, concerns have been expressed about the effects of environmental contaminants on general populations and
particularly in high latitude indigenous peoples either directly in terms of their health
or indirectly in terms of changes in cultural habits because of increased environmental risks (Ayotte et al.1996; Bard 1999; Dewailly et al. 2000;Hansen 2000; Kuhnlein et al.
1995; Kuhnlein and Chan 2000; Van Oostdam et al. 1999).
The types of human effects that have been attributed to endocrine disruption include decreasing sperm counts, cryptorchidism, malformations of the male genital
tract, testicular cancer (Turner 1999) and breast cancer and effects on the cardiovascular system (IEH 1995). Much of the evidence available is circumstantial and subject
to considerable disagreements as to methods or interpretation. For example, a very
widely cited paper presenting evidence for declining semen quality during the past
50 years (Carlsen et al. 1992) has been widely criticized for both methodological and
statistical inadequacies (e.g. Marmor et al. 1998; Gandini et al. 2000). Nevertheless,
reports are still appearing, indicating both temporal and regional differences in sperm
quality (Auger et al. 1995; Auger and Jouannet 1997). The debate on the relationship
between environmental chemicals and health can be followed on a number of web sites
including that of the Center for BioEnvironmental Research, Tulane and Xavier Universities (http://www.tmc.tulane.edu/ecme/eehomel) and the Introduction to Hormone Disrupting Chemicals run by Dr Michael Warhurst (http://website.lineone.net/
-mwarhurstl) .
References
Allen Y, Matthiessen P, Haworth S, Thain JE, Feist S (1999) Survey of estrogenic activity in United Kingdom estuarine and coastal waters and its effects on gonadal development of the flounder Platichthys
flesus. Environ Toxicol Chern 18:1791-1800
Alzieu C (2000) Impact oftributyltin on marine invertebrates. Ecotoxicology 9:71-76
Ankley G, Mihaich E, Stalll R, Tillitt D, Colborn T, McMaster S, Miller R, Bantle J, Campbell P, Denslow N,
Dickerson R, Folmar L, Fry M, Giesy J, Gray LE, Guiney P, Hutchinson T, Kennedy S, Kramer V, LeBlanc
G, Mayes M, Nimrod A, Patino, R, Peterson R, Purdy R, Ringer R, Thomas P, Touart L, Kraak G Van
der, Zacharewski T (1998) Overview of a workshop on screening methods for detecting potential
(anti- )estrogenic/androgenic chemicals in wildlife. Environ Toxicol Chern 17:68-87
Arkoosh MR, Casillas E, Huffman P, Clemons E, Evered J, Stein JE, Varanasi U (1998) Increased susceptibility of juvenile chinook salmon from a contaminated estuary to Vibrio anguillarum. Trans Am
Fish Soc 127=360-374
Auger J, Jouannet P (1997) Evidence for regional differences of semen quality among fertile French men.
Human Reproduction 12:740-745
319
tween epidermal diseases and contaminants in four populations of dolphins but that
there were highly significant correlations with oceanographic variables such as low
salinity and temperature.
13.4.5
Humans
Although the focus of this chapter is on endocrine disruption in the marine environment, it is also pertinent to consider the effects on humans, particularly those who
rely on the marine ecosystem for significant parts of their diet. That such effects may
be relevant has recently been demonstrated by Fournier et al. (2000), who demonstrated that immunosuppression can be observed in mice fed on beluga whale meat
from both the st. Lawrence Estuary and Arctic Sea. Recently, concerns have been expressed about the effects of environmental contaminants on general populations and
particularly in high latitude indigenous peoples either directly in terms of their health
or indirectly in terms of changes in cultural habits because of increased environmental risks (Ayotte et al.1996; Bard 1999; Dewailly et al. 2000;Hansen 2000; Kuhnlein et al.
1995; Kuhnlein and Chan 2000; Van Oostdam et al. 1999).
The types of human effects that have been attributed to endocrine disruption include decreasing sperm counts, cryptorchidism, malformations of the male genital
tract, testicular cancer (Turner 1999) and breast cancer and effects on the cardiovascular system (IEH 1995). Much of the evidence available is circumstantial and subject
to considerable disagreements as to methods or interpretation. For example, a very
widely cited paper presenting evidence for declining semen quality during the past
50 years (Carlsen et al. 1992) has been widely criticized for both methodological and
statistical inadequacies (e.g. Marmor et al. 1998; Gandini et al. 2000). Nevertheless,
reports are still appearing, indicating both temporal and regional differences in sperm
quality (Auger et al. 1995; Auger and Jouannet 1997). The debate on the relationship
between environmental chemicals and health can be followed on a number of web sites
including that of the Center for BioEnvironmental Research, Tulane and Xavier Universities (http://www.tmc.tulane.edu/ecme/eehomel) and the Introduction to Hormone Disrupting Chemicals run by Dr Michael Warhurst (http://website.lineone.net/
-mwarhurstl) .
References
Allen Y, Matthiessen P, Haworth S, Thain JE, Feist S (1999) Survey of estrogenic activity in United Kingdom estuarine and coastal waters and its effects on gonadal development of the flounder Platichthys
flesus. Environ Toxicol Chern 18:1791-1800
Alzieu C (2000) Impact oftributyltin on marine invertebrates. Ecotoxicology 9:71-76
Ankley G, Mihaich E, Stalll R, Tillitt D, Colborn T, McMaster S, Miller R, Bantle J, Campbell P, Denslow N,
Dickerson R, Folmar L, Fry M, Giesy J, Gray LE, Guiney P, Hutchinson T, Kennedy S, Kramer V, LeBlanc
G, Mayes M, Nimrod A, Patino, R, Peterson R, Purdy R, Ringer R, Thomas P, Touart L, Kraak G Van
der, Zacharewski T (1998) Overview of a workshop on screening methods for detecting potential
(anti- )estrogenic/androgenic chemicals in wildlife. Environ Toxicol Chern 17:68-87
Arkoosh MR, Casillas E, Huffman P, Clemons E, Evered J, Stein JE, Varanasi U (1998) Increased susceptibility of juvenile chinook salmon from a contaminated estuary to Vibrio anguillarum. Trans Am
Fish Soc 127=360-374
Auger J, Jouannet P (1997) Evidence for regional differences of semen quality among fertile French men.
Human Reproduction 12:740-745