Lipid and fatty acid composition, and persistent organic pollutant levels in tissues of migrating Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus, L.) broodstock

Abstract

Lipid class, fatty acid and POP levels were measured in migrating Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT) tissues caught off the Barbate coast, Spain. Tissue lipids were largely characterized by triacylglycerol, reflecting large energy reserves accumulated prior to reproductive migration. Fatty acid compositions of muscle, liver and adipose exhibited similar profiles, whereas gonads showed a higher affinity for docosahexaenoic acid. Tissue POP concentrations correlated positively with percentage triacylglycerol and negatively with polar lipids. Highest POP concentrations were in adipose and lowest in gonads, reflecting lipid content. DL-PCBs contributed most to total PCDD/F+DL-PCB levels, with mono-ortho concentrations higher in tissues, whereas non-ortho PCBs contributed greater WHO-TEQs due to differences in TEFs. PBDE47 was the most prominent BDE congener in tissues, probably through biotransformation of BDE99 and other higher brominated congeners. The perceived POP risk from ABT consumption should be balanced by the well-established beneficial effects on human health of omega-3 fatty acids.

Identification of a dioxin-responsive oxylipin signature in roots of date palm: involvement of a 9-hydroperoxide fatty acid reductase, caleosin/peroxygenase PdPXG2

“…Of particular interest, one of the biological implications of increasing levels of PUFAs is shown by the modification in the composition of cell membrane FAs under the activation of adjacent membrane-bound desaturases that can modulate membrane permeability and acclimation of plants to changing environmental conditions 91,92 . Although there are no comparative data on the effect of persistent xenobiotics such as dioxins on the plant lipidome, similar lipidic responses were reported in dioxin-exposed marine animals 93,94 . Therefore, we suggest that such a lipidome “signature” could be used as a biomarker to assess the severity of animal exposure to dioxins in an analogous manner to our suggestion here for plants 95,96 .…”

Biochemical composition and fatty acid profile of gonads from wild and cultured Shortfin corvina (Cynoscion parvipinnis) during the early maturation stage

“…This result may be attributed to apparent differences in the dietary supply of crude fat, unknown for wild organisms, while captive fish were fed solely a 12% CF compound feed. Large variability of the CF content in gonads at the same or different stages of development also has been observed in several species belonging to various families, including Scombridae, Serranidae and Siganidae, among others, which has been explained in terms of active mobilization of lipid reserves into gonads during vitellogenesis [49][50][51]. Moisture content, with an overall range from 66.94 to 75.56% for wild and cultured fish in this study, accounted for much of the gonad proximate composition, while ash was the smallest component (1.09-2.27%).…”

Fatty acid and proximate composition of wild male and female king angelfish (Holacanthus passer) gonads during the ripe and spent developmental stages

“…The lower ratios observed in ripe organisms (Tables 3 and 4) can be attributed not to the lower content of n-3 fatty acids, but to the higher content of ARA and derivatives of this fatty acid from the n-6 family, which would reduce the ratio, and, as previously suggested, ARA is the second major component of gonads in many fish species (Suloma and Ogata, 2011). Similar DHA contents have been reported in mature male (35.97% of total FAME) and female (21.65% of total FAME) gonads of spawning herring, Clupea harengus pallasi (Huynh et al, 2007), and in the male (22.0% of total FAME) and female (25.0% of total FAME) gonads of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) broodstock during reproductive migration, where n-3/n-6 ratios of 5.4 and 6.4, respectively, were observed (Sprague et al, 2012). In other species, consistently high DHA contents have been observed, but not necessarily the highest, such as in Salmo trutta labrax, where DHA content in female gonads was reported to be 15.55% of total FAME with a 5.23 n-3/n-6 ratio (Aras et al, 2003).…”