Abstract
The present work aims to understand the bioaccumulation kinetics and bioconcentration factors (BCF) of the Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) PCB 126 and PCB 169 in tissues of fish Puntius ticto. A continuous fed system was used to carry out the study. Bioconcentration in the tissues of the fish has been summarised using a first order uptake model. Fish were exposed to the PCBs continuously for a period of 30 days and this exposure has been used to calculate the steady state of BCF. The gill tissue of P. ticto showed a maximum rate of bioaccumulation of 30.61 μg g-1 wet weight for PCB 169 and 19.91 μg g-1 wet weight for PCB 126 respectively. In this study, the regression coefficients (R2), were found to vary between 0.736 and 0.97. This is indicative of a good to high correlation between the PCB concentration and exposure time. Prediction of the Octanol water partition coefficient (Kow) has been carried out to demonstrate the hydrophobic property of PCB compounds and their attraction towards lipid. The actual calculated BCF values have been used to predict the Kow values. Results indicate that it is possible to correlate the Kow values with both the lipid content of the tissue and the exposure time, in case of either PCB, and that the burden of PCB differs from one tissue to another.
Highlights
The discovery of residues of xenobiotic compounds in tissues of fish and other aquatic organisms since the early 1960s caused increased attention of the scientific fraternity towards their bioaccumulation in living organisms It is possible to predict what happens to such substances in the environment by comparing the extent to which they accumulate in living systems in comparison with the medium in which they exist
A reverse trend was observed for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) 169, which accumulated more in the kidney than in the liver tissue
It is suggested in literature that factors other than just the lipophilicity of the compound and the fat content of the concerned tissue may be involved in accumulation in tissues.[31]
Summary
The discovery of residues of xenobiotic compounds in tissues of fish and other aquatic organisms since the early 1960s caused increased attention of the scientific fraternity towards their bioaccumulation in living organisms It is possible to predict what happens to such substances in the environment by comparing the extent to which they accumulate in living systems in comparison with the medium in which they exist. As is the case with other substances foreign to bodies of organisms, the PCBs too react with tissue lipids in the organisms and may destroy the tissue in which they have accumulated, in the long term. Literature shows that tissue lipid is an important determinant for concentration of PCB in fishes.[1] These substances accumulate, and may pass along various food chains, as is indicated by their accumulation in tissues of bird.[2]
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