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(22-14) Biomarker responses and chemical analysis in fish indicate marked release of PAH from car tyre rubber. Förlin, Lars*,1, Stephensen, Eiríkur1, Adolfsson-Erici, Margaretha2, Parkkonen, Jari1, Sturve, Joachim1, 1 Department of Zoology, Zoophysiology, Goteborg, Sweden2 Institute of Applied Environmental Research, Stockholm, Sweden ABSTRACT- Car tyres contain in addition to rubber a number of additives, including softeners, extenders, antioxidants, activators and accelerators. Softener in rubber mix of car tyres is made up by extracts of aromatic hydrocarbons (referred to as highly aromatic oils, HA-oil), which include significant amounts of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Leakage of PAH from tyre dust has been identified as a source of PAH exposure in the environment. The environmental threat of PAH has lead to the production of tyres with low levels of or no HA-oil in the treads. In the present study a series of exposure experiment was performed. Juvenile rainbow trout were exposed to intact tyres immersed in fish tanks. Fish were also treated with HA-oils, HA-oils substitute or other car tyres rubber additives. A strong induction of hepatic EROD activity in trout exposed to car tyres indicates release of significant amounts of CYP1A inducers into the water. A more prolonged induction response was observed with HA-oils than with HA-oils substitute. Bile fluorescence analysis and chemical analysis of the bile suggest that significant amounts of PAH are released from the tyres. The exposures also resulted in strong antioxidant responses including glutathione levels and glutathione related enzymes in the trout. The results may indicate that other components in the tyres than HA-oils or HA-oils substitutes may contribute to the antioxidant responses. Key words: tyre rubber, PAH, EROD, antioxidant responses |
