BIOACCUMULATION OF HEXACHLOROBENZENE IN KILLIFISH (FUNDULUS-SIMILIS)

The use of bioaccumulation factors as an estimate of potentially harmful effects of organic chemicals has become increasingly important in studies of biological effects in aquatic systems. Likewise, the octanol-water partition coefficient seems to be a useful indicator of bioaccumulation potential in many instances; however, it has not been evaluated with marine organisms. This paper reports on a study, which is part of a wider investigation, to determine the rate and extent of bioaccumulation in killifish continuously exposed to low concentrations of hexachlorobenzene and then to determine the rate and extent of depuration in these animals. Low concentrations were used to identify threshold levels and to more accurately approximate typical environmental exposures. Refs.