Ecotoxicology of Lipophilic Pollutants in Australian Inland Waters

Abstract

Persistent lipophilic compounds, such as DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), have been implicated in many pollution problems in aquatic areas. The distribution of these substances in the environment can be predicted using calculations based on fugacity. The fugacity of a compound is a physical characteristic described as the ‘escaping tendency’ and it varies from phase to phase. However, the required basic data to apply this approach to the Australian environment are not available. On the other hand, the bioaccumulation of persistent lipophilic compounds by Australian aquatic biota can be predicted using relationships determined elsewhere. The most successful predictor of bioaccumulation is the octan-1-ol to water partition coefficient (P), which can be applied for compounds having P values ranging up to 106. Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides, PCB and PAH are widespread in Australian inland waters. PCB and PAH seem to be associated principally with urban areas, whereas chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides are relatively widespread. Aquatic birds often contain concentrations of persistent lipophilic compounds, which may be deleterious to their survival.