Fate of ¹⁴C-benzene in Eggs and Larvae of Pacific Herring (Clupea harengus pallasi)

Abstract

Eggs and larvae of Pacific herring were exposed to low concentrations of 14C-labeled benzene, a soluble, aromatic component of crude oil. All life stages accumulated benzene from water in direct proportion to the initial exposure concentrations, reaching equilibrium within 6–12 h. Feeding larvae exposed to benzene through water and live food accumulated benzene initially from the water, then secondarily from the food. The maximum amount of benzene accumulated in tissues was inversely related to age. Eggs accumulated up to 10.9 times the initial concentration, yolk-sac larvae up to 6.9 times, and feeding larvae to 3.9 times. Reasons for these differences in total accumulation and uptake rate are discussed. Results provide evidence for food web magnification of petroleum-based hydrocarbons. Key words: Pacific herring, Clupea harengus pallasi, eggs and larvae, 14C-benzene, uptake, depuration, food chain, petroleum-based hydrocarbons

The effects of a settled industrial–domestic sewage works effluent from percolating filters on the survival and growth of various stages of rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri (Richardson)

“…Similarly the metabolism and/or depuration of toxicants was most likely slowed in the less developed life stages which lacked fully functional organs such as liver and gall bladder. Eldridge et al (1978) inferred from 14C labelled benzene uptake experiments that eleutheroembryos of herring, Clupea harengus pallasi, had much higher metabolic rates than embryos. However, in our study exposure to diluted and undiluted effluent revealed that the utilization of lipid rich yolk and excretion rates was probably less in embryos and eleutheroembryos in comparison to alevins after the ' swim-up ' phase.…”