Studies on the metabolism of chlorophenols in fish, 2. Turnover of absorbed PCP in goldfish

A study has been made regarding the turnover of absorbed pentachlorophenol (PCP) in various organs of goldfish, Carassius auratus, during absorption in a PCP-medium (0.2 ppm), its subsequent excretion in running water, and also its decomposition using 14C labeled PCP. PCP absorbed by fish from the medium was accumulated in various organs, especially the gall bladder. The biliary concentration of PCP reached a value of 539 μg/g after a 24-hr exposure, and displayed a further increase even after fish had been transferred to clean, running water for 24 hr, whereas a decrease was observed in all other organs examined. PCP in the gall bladder eventually reached a level of 1, 077 μg/g, corresponding to a concentra-tion factor of 5, 400, which accounted for 41% of the total PCP detected in fish after transfer to running water for 24 hr. Some decomposition of PCP in fish was confirmed by a slight increase in the specific activity found in the gall bladder. It is probable that a large proportion of the PCP and 14 C found in the gall bladder had been transferred from the hepatopancreas after detoxification by conjugation or decomposition. The characteristic accumulation of PCP in the gall bladder indicates that fish can dispose of PCP by active elimination such as conjugation and decomposition, although BRODIE et al. (1962) have concluded that fish dispose of drugs by passive diffusion through the gills.