Toxaphene in fish

Kidd, K.A., J.E. Earner, and D.C.G. Muir. 1993. Spatial variability of chlorinated bomanes (toxaphene) in fishes from Yukon lakes. Chemosphere 27 1975-1986. 

In the following sections, the physico-chemical properties and the bioconcentration of selected super-hydrophobic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD),octachlorodibenzo-p-dio-xin (OCDD), Mirex, and Toxaphene in fish and other animals will be discussed. 

Figure 6 Adverse effect observed in the 2D structure of a chromatogram obtained for chiral separation of toxaphene in fish oil on BPX-172xBPX-50 with GCxGC- iECD when applying a fast D oven temperature ramp [3].

Concentrations of PCBs in fish from each of the Great Lakes currently exceed the GLWQA objectives for the protection of aquatic life. Similarly, concentrations of some substances (e.g., PCBs, Hg, mirex, toxaphene) in Great Lakes fish continue to exceed acceptable guidelines for human consumption. Documented effects in the Great Lakes include reproductive failure, congenital abnormalities and induction of tumours in various aquatic, terrestrial and avian species (23). 

Wilson and co-workers [332, 333] have discussed the determination of aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, lindane, o,p and p,p isomers of DDT and its metabolites, mirex, and toxaphene in seawater and molluscs. The US environmental Protection Agency has also published methods for organochlo-rine pesticides in water and wastewater. The Food and Drug Administration (USA) [334] has conducted a collaborative study of a method for multiple organochlorine insecticides in fish. Earlier work by Wilson et al. [333, 335] in 1968 indicated that organochlorine pesticides were not stable in seawater. 

In water, the concentration of toxaphene considered safe for protection of freshwater life is conservatively estimated to lie between 0.008 and 0.013 pg/L for marine life, it is 0.07 pg/L. This is in sharp contrast to the current recommended drinking water criterion for human health protection of 5.0 to 8.8 pg/L. Similarly, residues in fish tissue in excess of 0.4 to 0.6 mg/kg wet weight may be hazardous to fish health and should be considered as presumptive evidence of significant environmental contamination, although fish may contain up to 5.0 mg/kg before they are considered hazardous to human consumers. Toxaphene criteria for human health protection — which range in various foods from 0.1 mg/kg for sunflower seeds to 7.0 mg/kg in meat, fats, and citrus fruits — also appear adequate to safeguard sensitive species of wildlife. 

Kallman, B.J., O.B. Cope, and R.-J. Navarre. 1962. Distribution and detoxication of toxaphene in Clayton Fake, New Mexico. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 91 14-22. 

Ribick, M.A., G.R. Dubay, J.D. Petty, D.L. Stalling, and CJ. Schmitt. 1982. Toxaphene residues in fish identification, quantification and confirmation at part per billion levels. Environ. Sci. Technol. 16 310-318. Rice, C.P. 1993. Homologue concentrations of chlorobomanes in selected samples from the Bering/Chukchi Sea. Chemosphere 27 1937-1947. 

White, D.H., C.A. Mitchell, H.D. Kennedy, AJ. Krynitsky, and M.A. Ribick. 1983. Elevated DDE and toxaphene residues in fishes and birds reflect local contamination in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Southwest. Natur. 28 325-333. 

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