Disposition and biotransformation of pentachlorophenol in the red abalone (Haliotis rufescens)

Abstract

1. The disposition and biotransformation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) have been determined.

2. In a flow-through system, three abalones were exposed to 1˙2 mg/l of [U-¹⁴C]PCP for 5 h to determine bioconcentration and tissue distribution. Retained residues were quantified from radioactivity, while excreted residues were identified and quantified by h.p.l.c. and determination of radioactivity.

3. The 5-h total concentration factor ranged from 16˙0 to 21˙5; individual tissue concentrations ranged from 133˙4 nmol/g in gill to 17˙5 nmol/g in gonad. Due to its large size, the foot muscle received the largest amount of total retained residue (47˙4%).

4. During a 13-h recovery period the abalones depurated 72˙2% of retained residues; however, residue concentration in gonad increased over 100%. PCP was primarily excreted unchanged (89˙3%), but small amounts of pentachloro-β-D-glucoside (7˙9%), penta-chloroanisole (1˙3%), pentachlorophenylsulphate (0˙9%), and tetrachloro-p-hydroquinone (0˙6%) were also formed.