Formation and identification of azaarene transformation products from aquatic invertebrate and algal metabolism.
The metabolism of two azaarenes, viz. acridine and phenanthridine, by aquatic organisms was studied in short-term and chronic laboratory tests. The identity of metabolites observed in the test waters was investigated with different analytical methods, including HPLC, GC and hyphenated LC- or GC-MS. The Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), one green alga species (Selenastrum capricornutum) and periphyton or bacteria transformed acridine into 9[10H]-acridinone. Phenanthridine was transformed into 5[6H]-phenanthridinone by midge (Chironomus riparius) larvae. The findings indicate that closely related isomers may undergo species-specific biotransformation. It was concluded that keto-metabolites are major products in the aquatic fate of benzoquinolines, which may be overlooked in the risk assessment of parent compounds. This study illustrates the typical problems with, as well as the potency of, chromatographic methods in the elucidation of metabolic routes of organic contaminants.
de Voogt
P
P
Amsterdam Research Institute for Substances in Ecosystems, ARISE: Department of Environmental and Toxicological Chemistry, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Bleeker
E A
EA
van Vlaardingen
P L
PL
Fernández
A
A
Slobodník
J
J
Wever
H
H
Kraak
M H
MH
D000166:Acridines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000378:metabolism*; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D010617:Phenanthridines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
D000166:Acridines; D010617:Phenanthridines