Accumulation and toxicity of poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in early life stages of fish

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:191305

Petersen, G I; Kristensen, P ^[1]

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1. VKI, Hoersholm (Denmark). Water Quality Inst.

The scientific rationale for QSAR, which relates toxic effect concentrations to octanole-water partition coefficients (log K), is that the internal toxicity thresholds presumably are the same for substances having the same mode of action. This hypothesis, which links bioaccumulation, bioavailability and toxicity, was tested for representatives from a homologous group of PAHs. The bioaccumulation and toxicity of {sup 14}C labelled phenanthrene (log P{sub ow} = 4.57) and pyrene (log P{sub ow} = 5.18) were studied in order to compare the internal lethal and sublethal toxicity thresholds (LD{sub 50}/ED{sub 50}) with the external effect concentrations (LC{sub 50}/EC{sub 50}) in early life stages of zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio). Exposure was initiated with two different life stages, newly fertilized eggs (< 4 hours old) and newly hatched larvae respectively. Both type of experiments were terminated after absorption of the yolk sac. In the bioaccumulation studies the uptake rates were significantly dependent on the life stage with the egg stage having the lowest rate of uptake (due to the reduced permeability of the chorion), while there were no significant difference between the resulting bioaccumulation. In the toxicity experiments the life stage had no effect on the internal toxicity thresholds. Comparison of the internal and external effect concentrations for phenanthrene and pyrene, showed that the external effect concentrations (LC{sub 50} and EC{sub 50}) differed by a factor up to 10 while the internal toxicity thresholds (LD{sub 50} and ED{sub 50}) were not significantly different.

• OSTI ID: 191305
• Report Number(s): CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
AGE DEPENDENCE
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
FISHES
PHENANTHRENE
PYRENE
SENSITIVITY
STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS
TOXICITY
WATER POLLUTION