Coplanar and non-coplanar congener-specificity of PCB bioaccumulation and immunotoxicity in sea stars.
The sea star Asterias rubens (L.), a representative species of the North Sea benthic environment, was exposed to a mixture of 10 selected PCB congeners (3 coplanar or c-PCBs, and 7 non-coplanar) via experimentally contaminated sediments. Both the degree of bioaccumulation and subsequent immunotoxic effects of these PCBs were determined. A strong congener-specificity for both bioaccumulation and immunotoxicity was found as well as a probable induction of a congener-specific detoxification mechanism resulting in the dramatic decrease in body levels of the three coplanar congeners tested (PCBs 77, 126 and 169). Moreover, a correlation was found between the bioaccumulation of c-PCBs and their immunotoxic effects. These findings suggest that coplanar congeners should be included in the list of congeners recommended to be analyzed for biological impact-oriented marine monitoring programmes.
Danis
Bruno
B
Laboratoire de Biologie Marine CP160/15, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Avenue FD Roosevelt, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. bruno.danis@naturalsciences.be
Cattini
Chantal
C
Teyssié
Jean-Louis
JL
Villeneuve
Jean-Pierre
JP
Fowler
Scott W
SW
Warnau
Michel
M
D000818:Animals; D047271:Asterias / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D007700:Kinetics; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls