USE OF PCB AND TEQ CONCENTRATIONS IN SCAT FROM MINK (Neovison vison) FED FISH FROM THE UPPER HUDSON RIVER TO PREDICT DIETARY AND HEPATIC CONCENTRATIONS AND HEALTH EFFECTS.

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2017 Oct 6. doi: 10.1002/etc.3997. [Epub ahead of print] Bursian SJ1,2, Kern J3, Remington RE3, Link JE1. Author information 1 Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA. 2 Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA. 3 KERN Statistical Services, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, USA. Abstract To evaluate health effects associated with consumption of PCB-contaminated fish from the upper Hudson River, farm-raised mink were fed diets containing fish collected from the river. Endpoints assessed included adult reproductive performance, offspring growth and mortality, and organ mass and pathology of adults and their offspring. Scat samples were collected from adult males at the time of necropsy and from adult females just prior to whelping. Scat samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). The present report provides the results of these analyses and compares ∑PCB and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations in scat to dietary and hepatic concentrations associated with effects reported previously. Dry weight concentrations of ∑PCBs and ∑TEQs in scat generally increased with dietary concentration and reflected corresponding increases in hepatic concentrations of ∑PCBs and ∑TEQs. Maternal concentrations of ∑PCBs in scat expressed on a dry, wet and lipid weight basis predicted to result in 50% kit mortality (LC50) were 1.0, 0.30 and 12 µg ∑PCBs/g. Concentrations of ∑PCBs in scat expressed on a dry, wet and lipid weight basis predicted to result in 50% incidence of a previously reported jaw lesion (EC50) were 1.7, 0.48 and 24 µg ∑PCBs/g in adult females and 2.5, 0.87 and 19 µg ∑PCBs/g in adult males. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. KEYWORDS: Hudson River; Mink; PCBs; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Reproductive toxicity; Scat; Toxic equivalents; Wildlife toxicology