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Determination of polychlorinated biphenyl and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon elimination rates in adult green and leopard frogs
Author(s) -
Leney Jocelyn L.,
Balkwill Karen C.,
Drouillard Ken G.,
Haffner G. Douglas
Publication year - 2006
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.5620250623
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , leopard frog , chemistry , reaction rate constant , polychlorinated biphenyl , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon , ecotoxicology , ecology , amphibian , biology , kinetics , physics , quantum mechanics
The purpose of the present study was to quantify elimination kinetics of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in adult green frogs ( Rana clamitans ) and leopard frogs ( Rana pipiens ). Three experiments were conducted: PCB elimination rate constants were determined for both frog species, and PAH elimination rate constants were determined for leopard frogs only. In green frogs, significant PCB elimination rate constants ranged from 0.013 to 0.04 d −1 (time for frogs to achieve 90% steady state with water [ t 90 ] = 57.8‐178.2 d). In leopard frogs, significant PCB elimination rate constants ranged from 0.004 to 0.047 d −1 ( t 90 = 48.8‐657.9 d). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon elimination in leopard frogs was faster than PCB elimination in either frog species: Significant PAH rate constants ranged from 0.069 to 0.188 d −1 ( t 90 = 12.2‐33.5 d). In both species, and for both PCBs and PAHs, a significant inverse relationship was found between the chemical elimination rate constant and K ow . These results show that adult anurans have relatively low elimination rates of PCBs but exhibit a small capacity for metabolic biotransformation of PAHs that is comparable to that of invertebrates but lower than that of fish. These findings suggest that adult amphibians have the potential to be used as biomonitors for persistent organic chemicals.