Peter V. Hodson

Professor

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Department & Associations

School of Environmental Studies & Department of Biology

Supervising

Current MES Students

Helen Power

and other graduate students from Biology, Chemistry and Civil Engineering.

Completed MES Students

Tamzin El-Fityani

Shirin Fallahtafti

Anna Graham

Academic Training

Ph.D., Zoology, University of Guelph 1974
M.Sc., Biology, University of New Brunswick 1970
B.Sc., Physiology, McGill University 1968

Website

Current Research

• Fish Toxicology
• Toxicological significance of chemical metabolism
• Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, complex mixtures
• Crude oil toxicity and interactions with chemical dispersants
• Tools for assessing exposure and effects (biomarkers)
• Toxic equivalent factors based on structure-activity; bioassays of short-term indicators
• Transfer of sediment mercury through aquatic food webs in the St. Lawrence River.
• Responses of fish populations to chemical stress
• Role of chemical contamination in the decline of the American Eel

My current interest is the role of metabolism in chemical toxicity to fish, with a focus on the reactive by-products of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolism by liver mixed function oxygenases enzymes (i.e. the cytochrome P450 or CYP1A enzymes). The goal is to understand the mechanism of PAH toxicity, specifically of the alkyl-substituted forms, to the early life stages (embryos and larvae) of fish and the consequences for larval survival and recruitment. The results are directly applicable to ecological risk assessment of PAHs from oil, coal tar, creosote, soot and the by-products of microbial degradation of resin acids from pulp mill effluents.

My research is currently supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council,  the Ontario Ministry of the Environment's Best in Science program, and research contracts from the Canadian Offshore Oil and Gas Environmental Research (COOGER) centre, Department of Fisheries and Oceans. These grants facilitate collaboration with other scientists at Queen’s, the University of Waterloo,  the Université de Québec à Rimouski, the University of Maine, the University of Jyvaskyla and the University of Joensuu in Finland, with Environment Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Current and Past Teachings at Queen's

Note: Courses without links were taught in the past.

• Ecotoxicology Field Course (BIOL 307)
• Honours projects (BIOL 537)
• Graduate course in sustainability (co-instructor - ENSC 802)
• Environmental toxicology (co-instructor - ENSC 201)
• Ecotoxicology (ENSC 325)
• Fish toxicology (BIOL 856)
• Biochemical adaptations to extreme environments (BIOL 506)

Journal Publications

Turcotte, T. , Akhtar, P., Bowerman, M., Kiparissis, Y., Brown, R.S., Hodson, P.V. 2011. Measuring the toxicity of alkyl-phenanthrenes to early life stages of medaka (Oryzias latipes)using partition controlled delivery. Environ Toxicol Chem 30:487–495, 2011(doi: 10.1002/etc.404)

Scott, JA,Incardona, JP, Pelkki, K, Shepardson, S, Hodson,PV. 2011.AhR2-mediated, CYP1A-independent cardiovascular toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos exposed to retene. Aq. Tox 101:165–174. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2010.09.016

Kelly, EN, Schindler, DW, Hodson, PV, Short, JW, Radmanovich, R, Nielsen, CW. 2010. Oil sands development contributes elements toxic at low concentrations in the Athabasca River and its tributaries. PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.1008754107 (2010). - August 30, 2010.

McIntosh, S, King, T, Wu, D, Hodson, PV. 2010 Toxicity of dispersed crude oil to early life stages of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus). Env. Tox. Chem.29:1160-1167 Kelly, EN, Short, JW, Schindler, DW, Hodson, PV, Ma, M, Kwan, AK, Fortin, BL. 2009. Oil sands development contributes polycyclic aromatic compounds to the Athabasca River and its tributaries. PNAS 106:22346-22351

Ridal, J.J., E. Yanch, A. Fowlie, N.R. Razavi, T. Delongchamp, M. Fathi, P.V. Hodson, L.M. Campbell, J.M. Blais, M.B.C. Hickey, E. Yumihovize, and D.R.S. Lean. 2010. Potential Causes of Accelerated Transfer of Sediment Mercury to St. Lawrence River Biota: Implications for Sediment Management Strategies at Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. Hydrobiologia 647:81-98

Scott, JA , M Ross , BC Lemire, PV Hodson. 2009. Embryotoxicity of 2-aminoanthracene, a CYP1A inhibitor, alone and in co-treatment with retene in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Env Tox. Chem. 28:1304-1310.

Boudreau, M., M Sweezey, K Lee, PV Hodson, SC Courtenay. 2009. Toxicity of Orimulsion-400 to early life stages of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) and mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus). Env Toxicol Chem. 28:1206-1217

Schein, A, JA Scott, L Mos, PV Hodson. 2008. Chemical dispersant increases the apparent bioavailability and toxicity of diesel to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Env. Tox. Chem. 28:595-602

Short, JW KR Springman,, MR Lindeberg, LG Holland, ML Larsen, C Sloan, C Khan, PV Hodson, SD Rice. 2008. Semi-permeable membrane devices link site-specific contaminants to effects: Part II – A comparison of lingering Exxon Valdez oil with other potential sources of cytochrome P450 1A inducers in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Mar. Environ. Res. 66:487-498

Springman, KR, JW Short, MR Lindeberg, JM Maselko, C Khan, PV Hodson, SD Rice. 2008. Semipermeable membrane devices link site-specific contaminants to effects: Part I - induction of CYP1A in rainbow trout from contaminants in Prince William Sound, Alaska.. Mar. Environ Res. 66:477-486.

Scott JA, Hodson PV. 2008. Evidence for multiple mechanisms of toxicity in larval rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) co-treated with retene and a-naphthoflavone. Aquat Toxicol 88:200-206.

Fowlie, AR, PV Hodson, MBC Hickey. 2008. Spatial and seasonal patterns of mercury concentrations in fish from the St. Lawrence River at Cornwall, Ontario: Implications for monitoring. J. Great Lakes Res 34:72-85

Choy, ES, PV Hodson, LM Campbell, AR Fowlie, J Ridal. 2008. Temporal and Spatial Trends of Mercury Concentrations in Young-of-the-Year Spottail Shiners (Notropis hudsonius) in the St. Lawrence River at Cornwall, ON . Arch Env Tox Chem 54:473-481

Billiard, SM, JN Meyer, DM Wassenberg, PV Hodson, RT Di Giulio.2008. Non-additive effects of PAHs on early vertebrate development: mechanisms and implications for risk assessment. Tox Sci 105:5-23

Refereed Technical Reports & Conference Proceedings

Byer, JD, M Alaee, RS Brown, M Lebeuf, S Trottier, S Backus, S Blunt, M Keir, M Konefal, G Pacepavicius, PV Hodson. 2010. Brominated flame retardants in American eel: a reason for the eel’s decline? Submitted for inclusion in conference proceedings. "Fifth International Symposium on Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR 2010)," Kyoto, Japan, April 7-9, 2010. Available on-line at http://bfr2010.com/abstract-download/

Byer, J.D., Alaee, M., Brown, R.S., Backus, S., Keir, M., Pacepavicius, G., Lebeuf, M., Casselman, J., Kennedy, S., Hodson, P. V. 2009. Organohalogen Compd 71, 352-356 (Proceedings, Dioxin 2009, 29th International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants. Beijing, China, Aug 23-28, 2009)

Books, Book Chapters

Hodson, PV, RJ Reash, SP Canton, PV Campbell, CG Delos, A Fairbrother, NP Hitt, LL Miller, HM Ohlendorf. 2010. Selenium Risk Characterization Chap 7 in: Chapman PM, Adams WJ, Brooks ML, Delos CG, Luoma SN, Maher WA, Ohlendorf HM, Presser TS, Shaw DP (eds). Ecological Assessment of Selenium in the Aquatic Environment. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL, USA

Welbourn, P, P Hodson, and S. Rose 2009. Cataraqui park (Belle island Landfill). Chapter 10.6 in Welbourn, P, H. Cleghorn, J. Davis, and S Rose (eds) The story of brownfields. Smart growth in Kingston Ontario. From contamination to revitalization. Classroom Complete Press, Kingston, ON

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