Biomagnification and polychlorinated biphenyl congener distribution in an aquatic predator-prey, host-parasite system.
Biomagnification and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener distribution was examined in a predator-prey, host-parasite system, in which Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) preyed upon sprat (Sprattus sprattus). Eubothrium crassum was an intestinal parasite in salmon that also "preyed upon" sprat, because the parasites gained access to foodstuffs via the host (salmon) gut. Salmon contained significantly higher concentrations of total PCBs compared to both parasites and prey (sprat), but no difference in PCB concentration was found between sprat and E. crassum. Salmon biomagnified several PCB congeners from their diet (sprat), whereas parasites did not, despite the fact that both salmon and their parasites ingested the same prey. Differences in nutrient uptake mechanisms between the host and their parasites, in addition to the lack of a gastrointestinal tract in the cestode, may explain the lack of biomagnification in E. crassum. No difference was found in PCB congener distribution between parasites, salmon, and sprat, and none of the animal types showed a preference for accumulating more or less lipophilic congeners (congeners with a high or low octanol/water partition coefficient [K(ow)]). Biomagnification factors for individual congeners in salmon did not increase with K(ow); rather, they were constant, as shown by a linear relationship for congener concentration in prey and predator.
Persson
Maria E
ME
Department of Ecology, Section for Ecotoxicology, Ecology Building, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden. maria.persson@ekol.lu.se
Larsson
Per
P
Stenroth
Patrik
P
D000818:Animals; D002589:Cestoda / Q000469:parasitology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D020317:Salmo salar / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D014200:Trematoda / Q000469:parasitology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D009584:Nitrogen