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Studies of Uptake, Elimination, and Late Effects in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Dietary Exposed to Di-2-Ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP) During Early Life

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Abstract

The phthalate esters are a group of industrial chemicals considered to have endocrine-disrupting properties. The most common tonnage product among these, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), is widely spread in the environment. The objectives with the present work were to study uptake and metabolism of orally administered DEHP and its major metabolite mono-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (MEHP) and to evaluate the impact of early life exposure on sex differentiation in Atlantic salmon. The feeding with contaminated diet started immediately after yolk sac resorption and continued for 4 weeks. Nominal concentrations of DEHP in the diet were 400 (measured 359), 800 (measured 827), and 1500 (measured 1648) mg DEHP/kg and a control group was fed food mixed with solvent. After the exposure period, fish were fed non-contaminated diet until final sampling 4 months post-exposure. There were no effects on growth or survival of the fish and no late effects on hepatosomatic index or sex ratio. However, the histological examination of gonads from fish exposed to 1500 mg DEHP/kg revealed a small but significant incidence (3%) of intersex fish (ovo-testis). Chemical residues of DEHP and MEHP were analyzed weekly during the first 3 months of the post-exposure period. Both DEHP and MEHP were rapidly eliminated to near background levels within one week post exposure. The study indicates that exposure of Atlantic salmon to relatively high concentrations of DEHP during a sensitive part of the life cycle may interfere with gonad differentiation.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the European Council for Plasticizers and Intermediates (ECPI) and by grants from the ReproSafe-program at the Swedish environmental Protection Agency. The Swedish Board of Fisheries, Älvkarleby is acknowledged for keeping the fish and for support during sampling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7028, S-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    A. Norman & L. Norrgren

  2. Swedish Fish Health Control Program, Älvkarleby, Sweden

    H. Börjeson

  3. Research Institute for Chromatography, Kennedypark 20, B-8500, Kortvijk, Belgium

    F. David & B. Tienpont

  4. Centre for Reproductive Biology, Uppsala, Sweden

    A. Norman & L. Norrgren

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  1. A. Norman
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  2. H. Börjeson
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  5. L. Norrgren
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Correspondence to A. Norman.

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Norman, A., Börjeson, H., David, F. et al. Studies of Uptake, Elimination, and Late Effects in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Dietary Exposed to Di-2-Ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP) During Early Life. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 52, 235–242 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-005-5089-y

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