Sublethal responses of the striped mullet (Mugil cephalus L. ) to fluorene analogs

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5439794

Wofford, H W

Juvenile striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) were exposed for up to 12 days to 10 to 10,000 ..mu..g/l fluorene and three fluorene analogs (dibenzofuran, carbazole, and dibenzothiophene). These constituents of oil and coal were all acutely toxic to mullet at concentrations below their maximum solubility in seawater. The relative toxicity of the four analogs was related to their lipophilic nature and chemical reactivity. These pollutants were capable of inducing the corticosteroid stress response and resulting secondary stress responses in mullet. Plasma cortisol concentrations were significantly elevated, followed by a rise in plasma glucose. Responses were mild compared to those elicited by physical stress. Liver glycogen content was initially depressed, and later was restored to levels higher than the controls. Minor changes were observed in plasma lipids, with plasma triglyceride concentrations showing a consistent elevation upon exposure to dibenzofuran. Plasma osmolality was not significantly altered. Components of the xenobiotic metabolizing system of mullet were also affected by exposure to the four compounds. Large increases in liver glutathione concentration were observed, along with slight elevations in liver ascorbic acid content and ..beta..-glucuronidase activity. The fluorene analogs caused profound behavioral changes, which appeared to be related to a pharmacological effect on brain biogenic amine levels.

• OSTI ID: 5439794
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550100 -- Behavioral Biology
551000 -- Physiological Systems
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
ASCORBIC ACID
AZOLES
BEHAVIOR
BENZOFURANS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
BODY
CARBAZOLES
CARBOHYDRATES
CONDENSED AROMATICS
CORTICOSTEROIDS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ENZYMES
ESTERS
FISHES
FLUORENE
FURANS
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
GLUCURONIDASE
GLYCOGEN
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HORMONES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCORTISONE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLASES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
LIPIDS
LIVER
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
POLLUTION
POLYSACCHARIDES
PREGNANES
SACCHARIDES
SEAWATER
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
THIONAPHTHENES
TOXICITY
TRIGLYCERIDES
VERTEBRATES
VITAMINS
WATER
WATER POLLUTION