A Review of Histopathological Effects of Selected Contaminants on Some Marine Organisms

Histological assessment of the effects of environmental pollutants on marine organisms includes consideration of trends which develop that may link a closely related group of compounds to a representative tissue or organ response. Definition of such a relationship could benefit adjudication of water pollution controversies and, thus, the enforcement of public water pollution laws. Evidence based on numerous histological evaluations suggests two frequent responses to toxic materials which may represent trends: I) petroleum hydrocarbon exposures often cause anomalies which involve or are closely associated with the vascular system of many organisms, and 2) that some neurosensory organs in finfishes are extremely sensitive to an array of toxic materials. Although the nature of lesions usually differs with the type of toxic substance encountered, olfactory organs appear to be particularly sensitive. In addition, neurosensory tissue sensitivity in at least two species of finfish has been affected by adverse water quality.