1-Hydroxypyrene–A Biochemical Marker for PAH Pollution Assessment of Aquatic Ecosystem

Jana Blahova,Jana Jurcikova,Zdenka Svobodova,Barbora Kasiková,Kamila Kruzikova,Pavel Stierand,Tomas Ocelka

doi:10.3390/s100100203

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess aquatic contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), using the 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) content in fish bile as a biochemical marker. A total of 71 chub (Leuciscus cephalus L.) were collected from seven locations on the Svitava and Svratka rivers in and around the industrial city of Brno, Czech Republic. The levels of 1-OHP were determined by reverse phase HPLC with fluorescence detection after deconjugation. Normalising the molar concentration of the biliary 1-OHP to the biliary protein content reduced sample variation. The content of 1-OHP was correlated with the PAH level in bottom sediment and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMD), which was analyzed by a combination of HPLC/FLD and GC/MS methods. The highest mean values of 1-OHP were found in fish caught at the Svratka River at locations Modřice (169.2 ± 99.7 ng·mg−1 protein) and Rajhradice (152.2 ± 79.7 ng·mg−1 protein), which are located downstream from Brno. These values were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those obtained from localities Kníničky (98.4 ± 66.1 ng·mg−1 protein) and Bílovice nad Svitavou (64.1 ± 31.4 ng·mg−1 protein). The lowest contents of PAH in sediment and SPMD were found at location Kníničky (1.5 mg·kg−1 dry mass and 19.4 ng·L−1, respectively). The highest contents of PAH in sediment and SPMD were found in Rajhradice (26.0 mg·kg−1 dry mass) and Svitava before junction (65.4 ng·L−1), respectively. A Spearman correlation test was applied to determine the relationship between biliary 1-OHP and the sum of PAH in sediment and SPMD. A positive, but no statistically significant correlation was found. The main impact sources of elevated level of PAHs in sites located downstream from Brno are most probably intensive industrial and agricultural activities and domestic waste.

Highlights

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are a class of hydrophobic environmental organic pollutants that are widely distributed in the environment
The aim of the present study is to assess the contamination caused by PAH in seven selected locations on the Svitava and Svratka rivers in and around the industrial city of Brno (Czech Republic) using 1-OHP content in fish bile as a biomarker
The highest mean values of 1-OHP were found in fish caught at the Svratka River at localities Modřice (169.2 ± 99.7 ng·mg-1 protein) and Rajhradice (152.2 ± 79.7 ng·mg-1 protein)

Summary

Introduction

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are a class of hydrophobic environmental organic pollutants that are widely distributed in the environment. PAH generally occur as complex mixtures, not as single compounds [1,2]. Some of these compounds are environmentally important because they are, or can become, carcinogenic or mutagenic. The 16 priority pollutant PAH are: acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, anthracene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[ghi]perylene, chrysene, dibenzo[ah]anthracene, fluoranthene, fluorene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, naphthalene, phenanthrene and pyrene. These compounds have 2–6 fused rings and molecular weights of 128–278 g·mol-1 [1]

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