Accumulation and metabolism of phenanthrene in rainbow trout (Salmo gaidneri)

Abstract

Phenanthrene labelled with carbon-14 was administered to rainbow trout, Salmo gaidneri, in dry food and the radioactivity in the different tissues were measured at intervals using a Packard Tri-Carb scintillation-counter. Carbon- , 14 was rapidly accumulated in the liver and thereafter high concentrations was found in the gall bladder. Two weeks later most of the carbon-14 had disappeared. The metabolites of phenanthrene were isolated from the gall bladder and intestine 48 hours after the administration of 25 mg. The analyses of the TMS-derivatives of the metabolites were performed using a computerized gas chromatograph mass spectrometer. Quantitative studies were carried out using selected ion monitoring. A total of eight metabolites were isolated and identified. The main metabolite in gall bladder was 1.2-dihydro-1.2-dihydroxyphenanthrene, which constituted 93% of the total metabolic products. The fraction of free metabolites was 75 and 8% in gall bladder and intestine, respectively.