Biochemical and physiological disturbances in fish inhabiting coastal waters polluted with bleached kraft mill effluents

An extensive trial to examine physiological and biochemical changes in perch ( Perca fluviatilis) inhabiting coastal waters polluted by bleached kraft mill effluents has been carried out. The results from this investigation show profound effects of bleached kraft mill effluents on several fundamental biochemical and physiological functions on four different sampling occasions. Typical symptoms in perch from the polluted areas were reduced gonad growth, enlarged liver, and very strong induction of certain cytochrome P-450-dependent activities. Elevated content of ascorbic acid in liver tissue and strongly affected carbohydrate metabolism show that the effluent causes metabolic disorders. Marked effects on the white blood cell pattern indicate a suppressed immune defence. Alterations in the red blood cell status and the ion balance suggest an impaired gill function. This extensive symptom picture is strengthened by the relatively good agreement with the effects previously observed in fish exposed to bleached kraft mill effluents (BKME) in the laboratory. 1–3