Recent developments in the analysis and environmental chemistry of toxaphene with emphasis on the marine environment

Dechlorination of the dietary nona-chlorinated toxaphene congeners 62 and 50 into the octa-chlorinated toxaphene congeners 44 and 40 in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The relative feed-to-fish accumulation and possible biotransformation of the nona-chlorinated toxaphene congeners currently included in EU-legislation (CHB-50 and -62) and the octa-chlorinated congeners recommended by the European Food Safety Authority to be included in future surveillance of fish samples (CHB-40, 41, and 44) were investigated in the present study. Model fish Danio rerio were fed either (a) diets spiked with a combination as well as the pure individual toxaphene congeners CHB-50 or 62 or (b) diets spiked with the combination of CHB ∑50+62 and/or CHB ∑40+41+44. In addition, seawater adapted Atlantic salmon smolts were fed technical toxaphene enriched feeds for 62 days. Zebrafish fed a diet containing CHB-50 and CHB-62 accumulated newly formed CHB-40&41 and CHB-44, respectively. The biomagnifications factors (BMF) of the toxaphene congeners in Atlantic salmon muscle from the feeds spiked with technical toxaphene were significantly correlated with their relative lipophilicity (expressed as logK(ow)). An exception was CHB-44 which had a higher BMF than could be expected from its specific logK(ow), reflecting that CHB-44 is a metabolite formed under dietary exposure to CHB-62. This paper reports the in vivo dechlorination of nona-chlorinated toxaphene congeners into octa-chlorinated congeners in feeding trials with a model fish (zebrafish) and an oily food fish (Atlantic salmon).

Congener specific determination of toxaphene residues in fish liver oil using gas chromatography coupled to ion trap MS/MS

A new approach to the determination of six toxaphene congeners in edible stuff has been accomplished. The analytical procedure presented in this paper involves a single-step cleanup process prior to the analysis. A solution containing three (13)C labelled polychlorinated biphenyls was used as internal standard and tetrachloronaphtalene was used as injection standard. The analytical technique used was gas chromatography coupled to ion trap mass spectrometry detector in MS/MS mode. The parameters affecting the successive fragmentations were discussed and optimized. The limits of detection ranged from 2 to 49pg microl(-1). The toxaphene congeners were determined in two different fish liver oil pills sold in Spain as a supplementary vitamin support.

Na+K+-ATPase activity as a biomarker of toxaphene toxicity in Unio tumidus

In this study, the effect of toxaphene (camphechlor) on ATPase activity in the microsomal fraction of the Unio tumidus's digestive gland was determined. Toxaphene is a man-made mixture consisting of polychlorinated monoterpens, predominantly bornanes. This compound was primarily used as an insecticide, but in 1982 was officially banned because of its destructive effects on human and animal health. Toxaphene can be transported in the air at long distances and can persist in air, soil and water for years revealing acute and chronic toxicity towards aquatic organisms and wildlife, the increasing risk of cancer in both humans and animals. The microsomal fraction isolated from digestive glands was exposed to 1 x 10(-3) M, 1 x 10(-5) M and 1 x 10(-7) M of toxaphene. The obtained data showed that toxaphene induced a loss of ATPase activity in all used concentrations. The Lineweaver-Burk plots for microsomal Na+K+-ATPase in the presence or the absence of toxaphene as an inhibitor indicated a competitive type of inhibition.

Levels of toxaphene congeners in fish from Danish waters

The levels of toxaphene congeners, in addition to PCB congeners and organochlorine pesticides, were determined in various fish samples from different Danish waters. While PCB-153 and p,p'-DDE show different levels depending on the fishing area, with highest levels in fish from the Western Baltic Sea, toxaphene was detected in all the samples investigated at a more constant level. The distribution of the three toxaphene congeners Parlar #26, #50 and #62 depends on the fishing area, with the Western Baltic Sea being different from the other waters by having almost equal levels of toxaphene congeners #26 and #50.

Search for chlorobornanes in river sediments and in influents and effluents

In 1997, we collected nine river sediment samples, including one duplicate, from above and below three pulp and paper mills on the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin, USA, and one mill on Beaver Dam Creek in Ontario, Canada. We also obtained twenty split sediment samples from the Wisconsin River that were collected by the US EPA in collaboration with Indiana University. Finally, we collected influent and effluent samples from eight pulp and paper related industries in the US and Canada. We analyzed all sediment and water samples for hexa- through decachlorobornanes. We did not detect any chlorobornanes in most of the sediments. When chlorobornanes were detected, the concentration in sediments below pulp mills were similar to or less than in those from above the same mills. Chlorobornanes could not be detected in any of the influent or effluent samples. Thus, pulp and paper mills and relate facilities are not a source of chlorobornanes.

Congener specific analysis of toxaphene in serum using ECNI-MS

A method for the determination of environmentally relevant toxaphene congeners (eg chlorinated bornanes (CHBs)) in serum is described. Four chlorinated bornane congeners are predominant in serum.