Chapters authored
Ecological Risk and Distribution of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Fish
The distribution and concentrations of polychrolinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in nine freshwater fish species and the parasite Acanthocephalus lucii in Zemplínska šírava, a heavily polluted water reservoir in Slovakia. The study performed at two different time points five years apart (2004 and 2009) revealed excessive PCB contamination of the fish muscle tissue and significant interspecies as well as tissue-specific differences in PCB uptake by fish. Total PCBs broadly correlated with the trophic position of individual fish species within a food chain (P < 0.01). The concentrations were particularly high in predatory fish species, perch, pike and pike-perch (108.0, 90.1, 113.0 mg.kg–1 lipid wt, respectively), but comparable PCB values were also found in non-predatory detritivorous freshwater bream (128.0 mg.kg–1 lipid wt). Tissue-specific differences in PCB concentrations were observed: liver > adipose tissue > muscles > hard roe > bones > brain. Maximum concentrations of PCBs were recorded in the liver of northern pike (214.0 mg.kg-1 lipid wt) and the hepatopancreas of freshwater bream (163.0 mg.kg-1 lipid wt). Individual congeners were not distributed homogeneously within the investigated organs and the adipose tissue. PCB 153 was present in the higher concentrations than other congeners in all fish organs as well as the adipose tissue. Acanthocephalans absorbed significantly higher concentrations of PCBs (P<0.001) than the muscles, liver, kidney, brain and adipose tissue of their host. About 20-fold lower PCB levels was detected in the liver and almost three times in the muscles of infected perch. Data on PCB accumulation in perch infected with acanthocephalans demonstrated a decline of PCB values in all organs as well as the adipose tissue compared to uninfected fish. The study has shown that the fish species, its feeding habit and specific conditions of the habitat are mutually interrelated factors that are responsible for significant variations in fish body burdens.
Part of the book: Emerging Pollutants in the Environment