Organochlorines including polychlorinated biphenyls in muscle, liver, and ovaries of cod, Gadus morhua

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (Germany)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214339· OSTI ID:5506093

Hellou, J; Warren, W G; Payne, J F ^[1]

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1. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, St. John's, Newfoundland (Canada)

Twenty-three specific organochlorine contaminants and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), measured as three Aroclor standards were analyzed in muscle, liver, and ovaries of cod, Gadus morhua, collected in the Northwest Atlantic. In general, contaminants were undetectable in muscle tissue, while concentrations were 10 times lower in ovaries than liver (wet weight). Comparison of results to other locations indicated a similarity between the ratio of the concentrations of p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDT, in liver of cod from the northern North Sea and from the Northwest Atlantic, although with lower levels in the present study. The ratio of alpha-HCH and gamma-HCH was between that of the central and northern North Sea. Similar ratios tend to indicate similar residence times in the atmosphere, from source to sampling area. Comparison of sigma PCB and sigma DDT in the liver of cod from various geographical locations showed the following general trend in concentrations: Arctic, Northwest Atlantic, West Atlantic, Norway < North Baltic, Nova Scotia, North Sea < South Baltic. It was observed that if the liver concentration of one compound was low (high), there was a tendency for all compounds to be low (high). Cluster analysis of organochlorines in liver pointed to the presence of four basic clusters, which could reflect similar physical chemical properties within a group. Concentrations of organochlorines in ovaries were below levels expected to affect egg and larval viability.

• OSTI ID: 5506093
• Journal Information: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (Germany), Journal Name: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (Germany) Vol. 25:4; ISSN AECTCV; ISSN 0090-4341
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550500 -- Metabolism
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BODY
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CODFISH
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
DDT
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
EVALUATION
FEMALE GENITALS
FISHES
GLANDS
GONADS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INSECTICIDES
LIVER
MUSCLES
NORTH SEA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OVARIES
PESTICIDES
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
VIABILITY