PCEC Continues Its Collaborative Research Efforts with the Orange
County Sanitation District (OCSD). May 2009.
PCEC is pleased to continue in its collaborative research with OCSD. These efforts have been some of the first
of their kind to characterize the effects of existing contaminants in urban marine environments on wild fish.
Findings from the research have pointed to impacts on the physiological systems used to handle stress ("stress
response") and on reproduction. Since the onset of these studies several years ago, OCSD has proven itself to be
a leader nationwide as an agency that actively supports research focusing on environmental impacts derived from
human society and its activities, particularly as relates to the marine environment (southern California region).
The most recent work, driven by PCEC, was directed toward studies addressing the coastline stretching from
Huntington Beach south to Dana Point. Part of this work included analyzing a native fish, the English sole
(Parophrys vetulus), for potential relationships between exposures to anthropogenic chemicals in their
environment and the status of important endocrine systems. It is already clear that certain kinds of chemicals
-such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)- are strongly related to disfunction in the stress response endocrine
system. Thus, fish exposed to certain kinds of PCBs do not have normal physiological systems that enable this
fish to survive stress, which is important for an animal in its wild setting. Other findings on reproductive and
developmental hormones are in the works. Such partnerships between our non-profit (PCEC), agencies such as
OCSD, and universities (CSU Long Beach, UC Riverside), are providing new and needed information to address
the complex issues facing the southern California urban ocean environment.
County Sanitation District (OCSD). May 2009.
PCEC is pleased to continue in its collaborative research with OCSD. These efforts have been some of the first
of their kind to characterize the effects of existing contaminants in urban marine environments on wild fish.
Findings from the research have pointed to impacts on the physiological systems used to handle stress ("stress
response") and on reproduction. Since the onset of these studies several years ago, OCSD has proven itself to be
a leader nationwide as an agency that actively supports research focusing on environmental impacts derived from
human society and its activities, particularly as relates to the marine environment (southern California region).
The most recent work, driven by PCEC, was directed toward studies addressing the coastline stretching from
Huntington Beach south to Dana Point. Part of this work included analyzing a native fish, the English sole
(Parophrys vetulus), for potential relationships between exposures to anthropogenic chemicals in their
environment and the status of important endocrine systems. It is already clear that certain kinds of chemicals
-such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)- are strongly related to disfunction in the stress response endocrine
system. Thus, fish exposed to certain kinds of PCBs do not have normal physiological systems that enable this
fish to survive stress, which is important for an animal in its wild setting. Other findings on reproductive and
developmental hormones are in the works. Such partnerships between our non-profit (PCEC), agencies such as
OCSD, and universities (CSU Long Beach, UC Riverside), are providing new and needed information to address
the complex issues facing the southern California urban ocean environment.
New Study to Focus on Longjaw Mudsucker in Newport Bay,
California. July 2009.
PCEC has teamed up with Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) to conduct a pilot
study to determine whether contaminated Newport Bay may be associated with changes in the health of a native
bottom-dwelling fish, the longjaw mudsucker. Staff at SCCWRP have collected and trapped these fish in
Newport Bay and at selected other coastal locations in southern California. The fish from Newport Bay are
being compared with fish from the other locations in the aim to shed light on whether abnormal changes may exist
in the hormones that maintain the physiology and health of the animals. Such changes, if they occur, would be
evidence of so-called "environmental endocrine disruption" in the Newport Bay resident fish. PCEC is
contributing to the analyses of hormonal status, including measuring
concentrations of thyroid hormones essential for growth and development.
Newport Bay has a large yacht harbor and is a popular location for
boating and numerousother forms of water recreation. These activites in
addition to urban runoff into the bay make up important sources of pollution
that may impact resident wildlife like the longjaw mudsucker. Results of
this work will be an important component in ongoing efforts to determine
the health of the bay and the well being of its native species, and may potentially warrant further monitoring other
native bay species.
California. July 2009.
PCEC has teamed up with Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) to conduct a pilot
study to determine whether contaminated Newport Bay may be associated with changes in the health of a native
bottom-dwelling fish, the longjaw mudsucker. Staff at SCCWRP have collected and trapped these fish in
Newport Bay and at selected other coastal locations in southern California. The fish from Newport Bay are
being compared with fish from the other locations in the aim to shed light on whether abnormal changes may exist
in the hormones that maintain the physiology and health of the animals. Such changes, if they occur, would be
evidence of so-called "environmental endocrine disruption" in the Newport Bay resident fish. PCEC is
contributing to the analyses of hormonal status, including measuring
concentrations of thyroid hormones essential for growth and development.
Newport Bay has a large yacht harbor and is a popular location for
boating and numerousother forms of water recreation. These activites in
addition to urban runoff into the bay make up important sources of pollution
that may impact resident wildlife like the longjaw mudsucker. Results of
this work will be an important component in ongoing efforts to determine
the health of the bay and the well being of its native species, and may potentially warrant further monitoring other
native bay species.
The San Gabriel River Regional Monitoring Program and PCEC to
study the health of the San Gabriel watershed
The San Gabriel River watershed involves many different tributaries and waterways that originate in the San
Gabriel mountains and stretches all the way to the ocean. PCEC in collaboration with the Regional monitoring
program will undertake a project to understand and evaluate the health of the watershed by sampling native
insects and determining how the environment affects the organisms by looking at their proteome. A proteome is
the profile that results from the natural proteins found in an organism, different exposures will cause different
proteins to be expressed in higher or lower concentrations when compared to a "normal" proteome. By
measuring the organisms that make-up the base of the food chain in these environments we can begin determining
the overall health of the watershed. The regional monitoring program has data collected from the previous years
that will be used in conjunction with the data collected from this study to bring together the bigger picture on how
these ecosystems are doing since the regional monitoring program began restoring portions of the watershed.
Together we are excited about bringing together powerful research techniques to evaluate and help answer
environmental issues that both organizations feel very strongly about and feel will benefit not only the health of
the watershed but will benefit all those that enjoy the San Gabriel River watershed
study the health of the San Gabriel watershed
The San Gabriel River watershed involves many different tributaries and waterways that originate in the San
Gabriel mountains and stretches all the way to the ocean. PCEC in collaboration with the Regional monitoring
program will undertake a project to understand and evaluate the health of the watershed by sampling native
insects and determining how the environment affects the organisms by looking at their proteome. A proteome is
the profile that results from the natural proteins found in an organism, different exposures will cause different
proteins to be expressed in higher or lower concentrations when compared to a "normal" proteome. By
measuring the organisms that make-up the base of the food chain in these environments we can begin determining
the overall health of the watershed. The regional monitoring program has data collected from the previous years
that will be used in conjunction with the data collected from this study to bring together the bigger picture on how
these ecosystems are doing since the regional monitoring program began restoring portions of the watershed.
Together we are excited about bringing together powerful research techniques to evaluate and help answer
environmental issues that both organizations feel very strongly about and feel will benefit not only the health of
the watershed but will benefit all those that enjoy the San Gabriel River watershed
PCEC to support scholarships for student researchers attending
PRIMO meeting in Long Beach, California in May 2011
PCEC promotes environmental education and is happy to support the PRIMO meeting by providing students
attending this meeting with scholarships to the short course "Non-reproductive forms of Endocrine Disruption", It
is support from you that allows us to provide such student support, so thank you for your donations!!
PRIMO meeting in Long Beach, California in May 2011
PCEC promotes environmental education and is happy to support the PRIMO meeting by providing students
attending this meeting with scholarships to the short course "Non-reproductive forms of Endocrine Disruption", It
is support from you that allows us to provide such student support, so thank you for your donations!!
PCEC partners with Friends of the Colorado Lagoon and Tidal
Influences to improve the health of local wetland
Our local wetlands are some of the most unique and endangered environments. From development to invasive
species to pollution, there are many things that pose a threat to the health of these environments. Two groups
have been fighting to ensure that at least one (the Colorado lagoon), and others are saved for us to enjoy now and
in the future. Friends of the Colorado Lagoon (a community group) and Tidal influence have been working
together to improve the health of the lagoon to ensure its survival. PCEC now joins in that fight by participating
in a project that will measure the health of the lagoon during a restoration project that will focus on increasing
water flow to the lagoon, dredging the lagoon and improving the health of the organisms in this environment.
PCEC will analyze the health of two local inhabitants of the lagoon; Shiner perch and the Staghorn sculpin. Our
organization will analyze for key hormones that directly link to overall health as well as proteomic analysis to
specifically look at how some of the pollutants are affecting the proteins in charge of all physiological and
metabolic functions. Check out our story in the local Long Beach paper the Grunion Gazette
http://www.gazettes.com/news/environment/fish-study-tests-lagoon-restoration/article_23a9511a-ea0f-11e0-849
9-001cc4c002e0.html
Influences to improve the health of local wetland
Our local wetlands are some of the most unique and endangered environments. From development to invasive
species to pollution, there are many things that pose a threat to the health of these environments. Two groups
have been fighting to ensure that at least one (the Colorado lagoon), and others are saved for us to enjoy now and
in the future. Friends of the Colorado Lagoon (a community group) and Tidal influence have been working
together to improve the health of the lagoon to ensure its survival. PCEC now joins in that fight by participating
in a project that will measure the health of the lagoon during a restoration project that will focus on increasing
water flow to the lagoon, dredging the lagoon and improving the health of the organisms in this environment.
PCEC will analyze the health of two local inhabitants of the lagoon; Shiner perch and the Staghorn sculpin. Our
organization will analyze for key hormones that directly link to overall health as well as proteomic analysis to
specifically look at how some of the pollutants are affecting the proteins in charge of all physiological and
metabolic functions. Check out our story in the local Long Beach paper the Grunion Gazette
http://www.gazettes.com/news/environment/fish-study-tests-lagoon-restoration/article_23a9511a-ea0f-11e0-849
9-001cc4c002e0.html