|
(W/EH060) An effect-based evaluation of liver contaminants originating from stranded harbour porpoises in Belgium. Van de Vijver, I.1, Covaci, A.2, Schepens , P.2, Bouquegneau, J.M.3, Vlaeminck, A.1, Willems, K.1,4, Blust, R.1, De Coen, W.1, 1 2 3 4 ABSTRACT- Organohalogenated chemicals (chlorinated biphenyls, DDT and metabolites, HCH isomers and brominated diphenyl ethers) are ubiquitous anthropogenic contaminants accumulating in top predators such as marine mammals. Although these chemicals have been pinpointed as causative agents for various reproductive, morphometric and immunological abnormalities, effect-based impact assessments are scarce for this group of organisms. In the present study, livers from stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) at the Belgian North Sea coast were evaluated on their chemical residue content and on the possible toxic effects associated with this toxicant-load. Livers were extracted with hexane:acetone and after clean-up on acid silica, the individual compounds (60 PCB congeners, 4 PBDE isomers, 3 HCH isomers, DDT and 3 metabolites) were quantified. The possible effects caused by the organohalogen liver content were estimated using a battery of 13 transgenic receptor-reporter assays. These constructs are able to discriminate between various types of toxic stress such as genotoxic effects (e.g. DNA-metabolite formation, DNA-damage), membrane-damage, oxidative stress. An attempt was made to relate the presence of individual contaminants with the various toxicological effects that were discriminated based on multivariate statistical analysis. The advantages and limitations of these cell-based impact assessments for marine mammals will be discussed. Key words: Marine mammals, Cell bioassays |
