Distribution of Organochlorine contaminants in tissues of croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) from Samborombón Bay, Argentina

LANFRANCHI, ANA L.; AIZPUN DE MORENO, JULIA E.; METCALFE, TRACY; MORENO, VICTOR J.

Washington DC, USA

Otro; 17th Annual Meeting, SETAC; 1996

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

The concentrations of organochlorine (OC) pesticides and PCBs were determined in tissues and organs from male and female croaker (Micropogonias furnieri), caught in Samborombón Bay, Argentina during post-spawn season. Concentrations are reported on a wet-weight basis and normalized to lipid content. Highest levels of organochlorine compounds were found in male liver and female ovary, but high concentrations were also detected in subcutaneous fat. Concentrations of OC pesticides in the liver of both sexes were in the order: total cyclodienos > total HCHs > total DDT and metabolites. In subcutaneous fat, DDT and metabolites were the principal component. PCBs in the tissue were dominated by trl, penta, and hoxachlorobiphenyl congeners, with large contributions from the highly persistent congeners 138 and 153. Differences in concentrations of OCs in the tissues of male and female fish may be due to mobilization of lipids during spawning