Toxic photoproducts of phenanthrene and anthracene in sunlight
- Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario (Canada). Dept. of Biology
Phenanthrene and anthracene, two of the most prevalent PAHs, undergo significant increases in toxicity on exposure to sunlight. Over a period of several days exposure to light, the toxicity of an aqueous solution of phenanthrene or anthracene increased dramatically. This increase in toxicity is largely due to the primary products formed by these two PAHs due to light exposure. These compounds are more toxic than the parent compounds at equimolar concentrations. Although anthracene is a potent photosensitizer, phenanthrene did not exhibit a significant increase in toxicity due to photosensitization. Photo-oxidation was the principal cause of photoinduced toxicity, with 9,10-phenanthrenequinone being the primary product. This compound is more water soluble than phenanthrene increasing its bioavailability. In addition, mixtures of phenanthrene and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone exhibited toxicity similar to the quinone added alone. This was shown by joint toxicity testing using Lemna gibba and Daphnia magna. These two organisms are currently being used in the lab to further test individual oxidized products of anthracene and phenanthrene that occur as a result of exposure to sunlight.
- OSTI ID:
- 398185
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9649%%393
- 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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