Aquatic biota toxaphene

Bioconcentration factor (BCF) for toxaphene and selected species of aquatic biota... 

Table 27.5 Sublethal Effects of Toxaphene to Aquatic Biota... 

Table 27.6 Bioconcentration Factors (BCF) for Toxaphene and Selected Species of Aquatic Biota... 

Toxaphene causes death and deleterious effects to nontarget aquatic biota at extremely low concentrations (i.e., <1.0 pg/L). 

Stern, G.A., D.C.G. Muir, C.A. Ford, N.R Grift, E. Dewailly, T.F. Bidleman, and M.D. Walla. 1992. Isolation and identification of two major recalcitrant toxaphene congeners in aquatic biota. Environ. Sci. Technol. 26 1838-1840. 

Among sensitive species of marine and freshwater fish and invertebrates, water concentrations of 0.054-0.299 xg/L of toxaphene were associated with growth inhibition, reduced reproduction, backbone abnonnaUties, or histopathology. Aquatic biota are capable of spectacular accumulations of toxaphene from the medium factors ranged between 1270 and... 

Toxaphene is extremely toxic to freshwater and marine biota. In laboratory tests of 96-h duration, 50% mortality was recorded for the most sensitive species of freshwater and marine teleosts, marine crustaceans, and freshwater insects at nominal water concentrations of less than 10 pg/L of toxaphene, and, in several cases, less than 1 pg/L (Table 27.2). Bioassays of longer duration, based on exposure of aquatic organisms for the entire or most of the life cycle, produced significant adverse effects on growth, survival, and reproduction at toxaphene concentrations between 0.025 and 1.0 pg/L (Table 27.3). Toxaphene was most toxic to freshwater fishes in soft water at elevated temperatures (Saleh 1991). Based on its high toxicity and extensive use, it is not surprising that toxaphene was considered a major cause of nationwide fish kills in 1977 (USEPA 1980b). 

Another major exposure route for humans is via contaminated food. For example, North America s Great Lakes, which are the largest body of freshwater in the world, are polluted with about 362 contaminants that were found in quantifiable amounts in the water, sediment, and biota (IJC 1983 USEPA 1994). The critical pollutants were identified as PCBs, DDT, dieldrin, toxaphene, mirex, methyl mercury, benzofa) pyrene, hexachlorobenzene, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and alkylated lead. Some of these pollutants biomagnify in the aquatic food chain and can be detected in increased levels in cooked Great Lakes fish. Consequently, the blood serum levels of these chemicals are significantly increased in consumers of contaminated Great Lakes sport fish compared to people who do not eat such fish (Flumphrey 1983 Fiore et al. 1989 Sonzogni et al. 1991). 

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