Persistent organic pollutants in tissues of the white-blooded Antarctic fish Champsocephalus gunnari and Chaenocephalus aceratus. (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Strobel, Anneli; Schmid, Peter; Segner, Helmut; Burkhardt-Holm, Patricia; Zennegg, Markus
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 161(2016)
• Page Start: 555
• Page End: 562
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: Icefish -- Bioaccumulation -- Persistent organic pollutants -- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) -- Toxic equivalents (TEQs) -- DR CALUX bioanalytical equivalents (BEQs); Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.01.089
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: The global occurrence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) continuously contributes to their accumulation also in remote areas such as the Antarctic Ocean. Antarctic fish, which hold high trophic positions but appear to possess low endogenous elimination rates for chemicals, are expected to bioaccumulate POPs with rising anthropogenic pollution. Using a chemical-analytical method, we measured concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, HCBs, HCH and DDTs and determined toxic equivalents (TEQs) and bioanalytical equivalents (BEQs) in muscle and ovaries of Antarctic icefish caught in the Southern Ocean around Elephant Island. We used two species with different feeding habits and trophic web positions: the planktivorous Champsocephalus gunnari and the piscivorous Chaenocephalus aceratus . Our results revealed higher contaminant levels in ovary than in muscle tissues of both species. Most analytes concentrations and the TEQs (0.2–0.5) and BEQs (0.2) were lower as in temperate species. Comparison with literature data points to higher PCB (20–22 ng g −1 lipid weight (lw)) and DDT (7–19.5 ng g −1 lw) concentrations than those measured in icefish in the 90's. For the other contaminants, we could not identify temporal trends. We found a higher bioaccumulation of contaminants, particularly HCB and DDTs, in C. aceratus (6.2 & 19.5 ng g −1 lw, respectively) than in C. gunnari (3.8 & 7.0 ng g −1 lw, respectively). However, there was no general species-specific accumulation pattern of the different toxicant classes between the two icefish. Thus, the expected link between contaminant burdens of C. aceratus and C. gunnari and their ecological traits was only weakly supported for these species. Highlights: PCB and DDT concentrations in icefish are higher than those measured in the late 90's. Mature, female icefish possess higher contaminant levels in ovaries than in muscle. POP levels are similar in fish from different sampling sites around the Antarctic Peninsula. Piscivorous icefish display a higher toxicant accumulation than planktivorous icefish. Bioanalytical results (BEQs) were similar to chemical analytical calculations (TEQs) in icefish.