METABOLITES OF XENOBIOTICS IN THE BILE OF FISH IN WATERWAYS POLLUTED BY PULPMILL EFFLUENTS

Waste waters from kraft pulp and paper mills contain a myriad of small molecular organic substances toxic to the aquatic biota such as fishes. Among these xenobiotics are chlorophenolic (CP) substances, like phenols and guaiacols, as well as unchlorinated and chlorinated resin acids. We recently observed, that CP and RA absorbed into rainbow trout are effectively metabolized into glucuronide and/or sulphate conjugates in their livers. Thus, the concentration-effect relationship apparently was quantitative in its nature. This study was initiated to see whether or not the same was true also in natural fish populations living in waters into which bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME) flowed continuously. Refs.