Abstract:
A number of chemical pollutants have the ability to disrupt endocrine function and cause
developmental reproductive abnormalities in humans and animals. They are commonly
referred to as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Fish species have been used to assess
waterways for their endocrine disrupting capacity. The use of Poecilliid species, the guppy
(Poecilia reticulata) and the mosquitofish Gambusia affinis and Gambusia holbrooki as
bioindicator species for EDCs is examined with reference to the mosquitofish inhabiting
water bodies in the Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay.
Sydney Olympic Park (SOP), located at Homebush Bay has an extensive history of
contamination due to the dumping of 9 million cubic metres of domestic, industrial and
commercial waste. The site, now remediated, features sporting, residential and commercial
development, as well as extensive parklands and it is therefore important that potential hazard
issues at the site are monitored. Monitoring of the containment mound leachate has identified
a number of potential EDCs, including dioxins, phenolics and polyaromatic hydrocarbons
(pAHs). The male and female mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrookq were used to assess the
endocrine disrupting capacity of water bodies within Sydney Olympic Park. It was found that
the use of sexual behaviour and reproductive morphology of the mosquitofish was useful in
assessing the study sites for the presence ofEDCs. As a result there is initial evidence to
suggest that two of the sites within Sydney Olympic Park may contain EDCs that elicit an
estrogenic or anti-androgenic response in the male fish.
