title: Bioaccumulation of explosive compounds in the marine mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis.
abstract: The bioaccumulative potential of the explosive compounds, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) were assessed in water only exposures with the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis). Toxicokinetics experiments provided uptake rates, elimination rates, biological half-lives, and bioconcentration factors (BCFs). Kinetic BCFs were 1.61, 0.87, and 0.44, for TNT, RDX, and HMX, respectively, and confirmed the expected low bioaccumulative potential of these weakly hydrophobic compounds based on logK(ow). Because apparent steady-state conditions were observed within the 4h uptake period, steady-state BCFs were also calculated, and were within 20% of kinetic BCFs. TNT was rapidly biotransformed to aminodinitrotoluenes within minutes, while no transformation products were measured for RDX or HMX. Uptake clearance rates varied among the compounds, while elimination rates and associated half-lives were extremely fast (0.15-0.49h). It is unlikely, based on these data, that exposure conditions for these explosive compounds in the marine environment pose unacceptable risks to mussels, and it appears that potential for trophic transfer is quite low.
authors.affiliation: Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Environmental Sciences and Applied Systems Branch, 53475 Strothe Road, Code 2375, San Diego, CA 92152, USA. gunther.rosen@navy.mil
authors.forename: Gunther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Guilherme R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Lotufo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001392:Azocines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D001711:Biotransformation; D001822:Body Burden; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D006207:Half-Life; D006573:Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008954:Models, Biological; D049878:Mytilus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014227:Triazines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D001392:Azocines; D053834:Explosive Agents; D006573:Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; D014227:Triazines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014303:Trinitrotoluene; C007950:octogen; C009160:cyclonite