title: Influence of sex, maturity and reproduction on PCB and p,p'DDE concentrations and repartitions in the European hake (Merluccius merluccius, L.) from the Gulf of Lions (N.W. Mediterranean).
abstract: The main objective of this work was to establish the influence of sex, maturity and reproduction on the contamination of the demersal fish Merluccius merluccius by organochlorine compounds. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'DDE were quantified in muscle, liver and gonads of female and male hakes collected in the Gulf of Lions in 2004 and 2005. Observed levels appeared higher than the population of the Bay of Biscay and lower than the population of the Thyrrenian Sea. Contaminant fingerprints were roughly constant whatever the studied organ and the hake biological condition. Concentrations varied significantly according to the sex and maturity of hakes. Mature specimens were more contaminated than immature, and males presented higher levels than females. This sex effect can be linked to a lower growth rate of males, and a contaminant elimination during female spawning. Gonadal contamination depends on the importance of lipid content and increases with the maturation degree. Although the main organ of energy and PCB storage is the liver, muscle appears as the main contributor to the gonad contamination.
authors.affiliation: IFREMER, Département de Biogéochimie et Ecotoxicologie, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Pointe du Diable, BP70, 29280 Plouzané, France.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bodiguel
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Loizeau
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Le Guellec
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roupsard
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Philippon
authors.forename: Capucine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mellon-Duval
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D048388:Gadiformes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls