Barrows, ME; Petrocelli, SR; Macek, KJ; Carroll, JJ
The bioconcentration potential and persistence of 33 chemicals representing 14 chemical classes were studied in a representative aquatic species, the bluegill sunfish. Of the 33 chemicals, 27 were 14C-labeled organic compounds, including acenaphthalene, acrolein, acrylonitrile, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, chlorinated benzenes, chlorinated ethanes, chlorinated ethylenes, bis(2-chloroethyl)ether, isophorone, phenols, n-nitrosodiphenylamine and phthalates. The other tested compounds included antimony trioxide, arsenic trioxide, beryllium chloride, selenous acid, silver nitrate, and thallous sulfate. At the start of each study 100 bluegills were placed into an aquarium of the appropriate test system and continuously exposed to a sublethal concentration of a 14C-labeled organic compound or a metal salt in aqueous solution. Acrolein at a mean water concentration of 13.1 mug/l showed a bioconcentration factor of 344; acrylonitrile at 9.9 mug/l, 48; O-dichlorobenzene at 7.89 mug/l, 89; p-dichlorobenzene at 10.1 mug/l, 60; trichlorobenzene at 2.87 mug/l, 182; trichloroethylene at 8.023 mug/l, 17; and diethylphthalate at 9.42 mug/l, 117.