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Toxic potencies of lipophilic extracts from sediments and settling particulate matter (SPM) collected in a PCB‐contaminated river system
Author(s) -
Engwall Magnus,
Broman Dag,
Brunström Björn,
Ishaq Rasha,
Näf Carina,
Zebühr Yngve
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620150220
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , bioassay , sediment , polychlorinated biphenyl , ecotoxicology , particulates , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon , chemistry , contamination , potency , persistent organic pollutant , settling , biphenyl , hydrocarbon , biology , ecology , in vitro , environmental science , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , biochemistry , paleontology
Abstract Sediments and settling particulate matter (SPM) were sampled in a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)‐contaminated lake, Lake Järnsjön, and in lakes located up‐/and downstream from Lake Järnsjön. The 7‐ethoxyresorufin O ‐deethylase (EROD)‐inducing potencies of lipophilic extracts from sediment and SPM were investigated in organ cultures of chicken embryo livers (denoted in vitro chicken embryo liver bioassay). The extract from sediments collected in Lake Järnsjön had the greatest EROD‐inducing potency of the extracts studied, and it also contained the highest concentrations of PCBs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/furans (PCDDs/Fs). The non‐ ortho ‐chlorinated PCBs in the extracts were probably major contributors to the EROD induction noted. The EROD‐inducing potency of sediment extract from the lake downstream Lake Järnsjön was higher than that of extract from the upstream lake. This indicates that EROD‐inducing substances were transported from Lake Järnsjön sediment to the lake downstream. The extracts from Lake Järnsjön sediment and SPM were separated into three fractions containing aliphatic/monoaromatic, diaromatic, and polyaromatic compounds, respectively, which were tested in the in vitro chicken embryo liver bioassay. In all extracts, the aliphatic/monoaromatic fractions were low in EROD‐inducing potency, while the polyaromatic fractions from SPM were more potent than their corresponding diaromatic fractions, indicating that they contained high concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor ligands. Only a small part of the EROD induction caused by the polyaromatic fractions could be attributed to the 15 analyzed PAHs in the samples. The EROD‐inducing potencies of the diaromatic fractions correlated quite well with their concentrations of PCDDs/Fs and PCBs. The in vitro chicken embryo liver bioassay detected low concentrations of EROD inducers in the extracts and therefore proved useful for estimating the contents of Ah receptor ligands in environmental samples.