Studies on the Metabolism of Pentachlorophenate, a Herbicide, in Aquatic Organisms-I

Abstract

A number of studies have been reported on the toxic effects of pentachlorophenate (PCP), a herbicide, on aquatic organisms, No work, however, has been done of the metabolism of PCP in aquatic organisms except only a few works on the distribution patterns of PCP in dead carp1, 2). In regards to the toxicity of PCP to a shell-fish, Tapes philippinarum, it has previously been reported that the PCP levels higher than 0.1 ppm was lethal to the shell-fish3-5). The present paper deals with the turnover of absorbed PCP in the shell-fish, using 14C-labelled PCP. PCP dissolved in the media was rapidly absorbed by the shell-fish and distributed into the various tissues, especially the Bojanus' organ and the liver, and then quickly eliminated, presumably from the Bojanus' organ. It was also revealed that most of the accumulated PCP in the tissues were undecomposed and were either free or in the bound form.