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Possible effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on sex determination in rainbow trout
Author(s) -
Matta Mary Baker,
Cairncross Charles,
Kocan Richard M.
Publication year - 1998
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.5620170104
Subject(s) - rainbow trout , juvenile , biology , endocrinology , medicine , trout , ecotoxicology , sexual differentiation , larva , salmonidae , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , chemistry , toxicology , fishery , ecology , biochemistry , gene
Aqeous exposure of newly hatched rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) larvae to Aroclor 1260 resulted in altered sex ratios and severe gonadal abnormalities in juvenile females. The proportion of females decreased from 41.9% in combined controls to 31.6 to 36.1% in groups that accumulated 2.5 μg/g Aroclor 1260 after 3‐h immersions, although this decrease was not statistically significant (p = 0.057). A total of 18.2% of the females in the treatment group that accumulated 2.1 μg/g Aroclor 1260 had abnormal gonads as compared to 2.7% in combined controls (p = 0.001). Abnormalities were characterized by inconsistent or extremely limited development of oocytes. Although further work is required to validate these results, this study suggests that environmentally realistic tissue concentrations of Aroclor 1260 may disrupt sexual development in female trout.