How are cod in a seawater inlet in Bergen, Norway, affected by environmental pollutants?

New research shows that environmental pollutants in Store Lungegårdsvann in Bergen affect gene expression involved in detoxification mechanisms and hormone balance in Atlantic cod. The research is part of the National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research` (NIFES) work to identify effects of environmental pollutants on fish health and seafood safety.

NIFES has studied the expression of genes in cod from the Store Lungegårdsvann, a seawater recipient in Bergen defined as relatively polluted, with considerable amounts of organic environmental pollutants present in the sediments. The cod from this location was compared with cod from the outer Hardanger Fjord, which is not considered to be a polluted area. The genes examined code for proteins known to respond to environmental pollutants often found in sewage and surface drainage water in urban areas. The project is part of ongoing research to determine how environmental pollutants affect fish health and seafood safety.