Bioconcentration of [C-14]butyl benzyl phthalate in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)

A short-term study was conducted to measure the bioconcentration factors for intact butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) in whole fish, fillet (edible tissues), and viscera (non-edible) tissues of bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). A group of 24 fish was exposed for 3.27 d to [C-14] BBP in a dynamic system. Intact BBP was quantified by chromatographic analyses for each tissue fraction. Significant metabolism of BBP was observed in the fish, with intact BBP representing less than 3% of the total radioactivity in each type of tissue. Measured bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for intact BBP (normalized to 6% lipid) were 9.4 (whole fish), 8.7 (viscera), and 1.7 (fillet). These BCFs were considerably lower than previously published BCF values, which were based on total radioactive residues in whole fish.