Relationship between persistent halogenated organic contaminants and TCDD-toxic equivalents on EROD activity and retinoid and thyroid hormone status in northern fulmars.
We investigated whether the hepatic cytochrome P450 1A activity (measured as 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD)) and plasma thyroid hormone and liver retinoid concentrations were explained by liver and blood levels of halogenated organic contaminants (HOCs) in free-ranging breeding northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from Bjørnøya in the Norwegian Arctic. Hepatic EROD activity and liver levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) were positively correlated, suggesting that hepatic EROD activity is a good indicator for dioxin and dioxin-like HOC exposure in breeding northern fulmars. There were not found other strong relationships between HOC concentrations and hepatic EROD activity, plasma thyroid or liver retinoid concentrations in the breeding northern fulmars. It is suggested that the HOC levels found in the breeding northern fulmars sampled on Bjørnøya were too low to affect plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones and liver levels of retinol and retinyl palmitate, and that hepatic EROD activity is a poor indicator of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and pesticide exposure.
Helgason
Lisa B
LB
Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway. Lisa.Helgason@npolar.no
Verreault
Jonathan
J
Braune
Birgit M
BM
Borgå
Katrine
K
Primicerio
Raul
R
Jenssen
Bjørn M
BM
Gabrielsen
Geir W
GW
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000378:metabolism*; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012176:Retinoids / Q000378:metabolism; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012176:Retinoids; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014801:Vitamin A; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1