Skip to main content
  • Pesticides And Related Organic Compounds
  • Published:

Accumulation and elimination of14C-γ-HCH (lindane) inNereis virens (Polychaeta) with consideration of metabolites

Abstract

In two experiments, conducted at 6° and 16 °C, 43Nereis virens were exposed to14C-labelled γ-HCH (lindane) at a concentration of 1 µg/l, which was maintained by intermittent monitoring and redosing. A closed system with individuals living in glass tubes was used. At equilibrium and during the subsequent phase of elimination, both γ-HCH and metabolites were determined in individual worms as well as in the water and faeces throughout the entire experiment. The bioconcentration factors of γ-HCH were 480 and 440 at 6° and 16 °C, respectively; those based on total radioactivity were 500 and 410. These factors were in the upper range of those known for other aquatic animals. The elimination may be described by an exponential function. The initial 50% decrease of γ-HCH and γ-HCH+metabolites in the worms occurred at both temperatures in 2 and 3 days, respectively. The percentage of γ-HCH metabolites in worms increased considerably during the elimination period. At least four metabolites were detected in worms and water. If pollutants are evaluated by accumulation and elimination kinetics, metabolization has to be taken into account.

Literature cited

  • Canton, J. H., Greve, P. A., Slooff, W. & Esch, G. J. van, 1975. Toxicity, accumulation and elimination studies of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) with freshwater organisms of different trophic levels. — Wat. Res.9, 1163–1169.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Canton, J. H., Wegman, R. C. C., Vulto, T. J. A., Verhoef, C. H. & Esch, G. J. van, 1978. Toxicity-, accumulation- and elimination studies of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) with saltwater organisms of different trophic levels. — Wat. Res.12, 687–690.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engst, R., Macholz, R. M. & Kujawa, M., 1977. Recent state of lindane metabolism. — Residue Rev.68, 59–90.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engst, R., Machholz, R. M. & Kujawa, M., 1979. Recent state of lindane metabolism. Part. II. — Residue Rev.72, 71–95.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, W., 1975. Aufnahme, Ausscheidung und Umwandlung von Lindan-14C durchMytilus edulis. — Chemosphere4, 375–380.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, W., 1977. Determination of the bioconcentration potential of marine organisms. — A steady state approach. I. Bioconcentration data for seven chlorinated pesticides in mussels(Mytilus edulis) and their relation to solubility data. — Chemosphere6, 731–740.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, W., 1979. Factors affecting the evaluation of chemicals in laboratory experiments using marine organisms. — Ecotoxicol. environ. Safety3, 90–98.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, W., Goerke, H. & Weber, K., 1977. Fate of14C-labelled di-, tri- and pentachlorobiphenyl in the marine annelidNereis virens. II. Degradation and faecal elimination. — Chemosphere6, 559–568.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, W., Schaefer, R. G., Goerke, H. & Eder, G., 1974. Eine Methode zur Aufarbeitung von Meerestieren für die Bestimmung von PCB, DDT, DDE, DDD, γ-HCH und HCB. — Z. analyt. Chem.272, 358–363.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gakstatter, J. H. & Weiss, C. M., 1967. The elimination of DDT-C14, dieldrin-C14 and lindane-C14 from fish following a single sublethal exposure in aquaria. — Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.96, 301–307.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goerke, H., 1979.Nereis virens (Polychaeta) in marine pollution research: Culture methods and oral administration of a polychlorinated biphenyl. — Veröff. Inst. Meeresforsch. Bremerhaven17, 151–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goerke, H., Eder, G., Weber, K. & Ernst, W., 1979. Patterns of organochlorine residues in animals of different trophic levels from the Weser estuary. — Mar. Pollut. Bull.10, 127–133.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goerke, H. & Ernst, W., 1977. Fate of14C-labelled di-, tri-and pentachlorobiphenyl in the marine annelidNereis virens. I. Accumulation and elimination after oral administration. — Chemosphere6, 551–558.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamelink, J. L. & Waybrant, R. C., 1976. DDE and lindane in a large-scale model lentic ecosystem. — Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.105, 124–134.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, P.-D., 1980. Uptake and transfer of the chlorinated hydrocarbon lindane (γ-BHC) in a laboratory freshwater food chain. — Environ. Pollut. (A)21, 97–108.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schimmel, S. C., Patrick, J. M. Jr. & Forester, J., 1977. Toxicity and bioconcentration of BHC and lindane in selected estuarine animals. — Archs environ. Contam. Toxicol.6, 355–363.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stadler, D. F., 1977. Chlorinated hydrocarbons in the seawater of the German Bight and the western Baltic in 1975. — Dt. hydrogr. Z.30, 189–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, R. A., 1969. Metabolism of lindane by unicellular algae. — Proc. Conf. Great Lakes Res.12, 98–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zinck, M. E. & Addison, R. F., 1975. The effect of temperature on the rate of conversion ofp,p'-DDT top,p'-DDE in brook trout(Salvelinus fontinalis). — Can. J. Biochem.53, 636–639.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Goerke, H., Ernst, W. Accumulation and elimination of14C-γ-HCH (lindane) inNereis virens (Polychaeta) with consideration of metabolites. Helgolander Meeresunters 33, 313–326 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02414757

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02414757

Keywords