Bioaccumulation of hydrophobic chemicals in an agricultural food chain
- Univ. of Bayreuth (Germany)
The concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and hexachlorobenzene were measured in an air-plant/soil-cow-human food chain in southern Germany. The data were interpreted using the fugacity modeling concept. The fugacities in air, soil and plants were found to be similar for many of the compounds, suggesting near equilibrium partitioning, while the fugacities increased somewhat from feed to cows` milk, indicating that moderate biomagnification takes place in the cow. However, a decrease in fugacity of several orders of magnitude from air to plants to cows` milk was observed for more involatile, hydrophobic compounds. This phenomenon, termed biodilution, could be attributed to two processes. Firstly, the air/plant partitioning of involatile compounds does not approach equilibrium due to the kinetically limiting air side resistance. Secondly, very hydrophobic compounds are more poorly absorbed in the digestive tract of the cow. Metabolism in cows also resulted in biodilution of certain congeners. The fugacities in human milk were 20 to 50 times higher than in cows` milk, indicating strong biomagnification.
- OSTI ID:
- 197562
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9612%%336
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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