PCB Muscle Content and Liver EROD Activity in the European EEL (Anguilla Anguilla) Treated with Aroclor 1254

Abstract

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a euryaline fish suitable for investigating exposure, accumulation patterns and biological effects of lipophilic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Eels were collected from the Orbetello Lagoon (Tyrrhenian coast of Italy) and injected with increasing doses of Aroclor 1254 to better characterise EROD activity as biomarker in eels from Mediterranean brackish environments. Fish muscle was analysed for PCB content and EROD activity was measured in liver microsomiaI fraction. Significant differences of PCB levels were observed in exposed fish (p < 0.05) while EROD activity increased significantly reaching the highest values at the maximum dose of 50mg/Kg (p < 0.001). Highly positive correlation (r = 0.82; p < 0.01) was found between PCB content and EROD activity. Isomer profiles showed decreases in hexa-CBs. The European eel is confirmed to be a useful sentinel species for assessing pollution in brackish environments whereas EROD activity is characterised as a sensitive biomarker of exposure for PCB mixtures.