Abstract
The abdominal fat of adult barracuda caught in Florida waters was analyzed for organochlorine pesticides. Of a total of 281 fish, 63 % had 5 to 760 g abdominal fat. The fat of 96 % of these fish contained DDT or one of its isomers or metabolites. Except for the smallest and largest fish, the ratio of “total” DDT in fat to kg body weight remained constant (0.08 to 0.11 mg/kg). During the spawning season, in addition to fat, certain organs and tissues of these fish were also analyzed. The highest pesticide concentrations were found in the fat. Assigning to the concentration of “total” DDT in abdominal fat a value of 10, the rating for the concentration of “total” DDT in the liver becomes approximately 1.1, in the pyloric cecum 1, in flesh 0.7, and for the fully developed gonads 0.5. It seems unlikely that larval barracuda are affected unfavorably by these low concentrations of DDT unless they are exceedingly sensitive to this compound. Since the quantity of abdominal fat and tissue pesticide concentrations were highest at the beginning and lowest during the height and end of the spawning season (and if this should apply to other fish species), then it can be concluded that spot-checking fish tissues for pesticides once or twice a year, more likely than not, provides misleading information with regard to pollution. Tissues and flesh of all barracuda were fed to cats, with no symptoms of ciguatera.
Zusammenfassung
Das Bauchfett ausgewachsener Barracudas (Pfeilhecht), die an der Küste Floridas gefangen wurden, wurde auf Pestizide aus der Gruppe der chlorierten Kohlenwasserstoffe untersucht. Aus einer Gesamtzahl von 281 Fischen enthielten 63 % zwischen 5 g und 760 g Bauchfett. Das Fett von 96 % dieser Fische enthielt DDT oder eines seiner Isomeren oder Metaboliten. Mit Ausnahme der kleinsten und der größten Fische blieb das Verhältnis von „Gesamt-DDT“ im Fett zum Körpergewicht konstant (0,08 bis 0,11 mg/kg).
Während der Laichzeit wurden zusätzlich zum Fett bestimmte Organe und Gewebe dieser Fische untersucht. Die höchsten Pestizid-Konzentrationen wurden im Fett gefunden. Ordnet man der Konzentration an „Gesamt-DDT“ im Bauchfett einen Wert von 10 zu, so sind die Vergleichszahlen für die Konzentrationen an „Gesamt-DDT“ in der Leber annähernd 1,1, in den Pylorusanhängen 1,0, im Fleisch 0,7 und in den voll entwickelten Gonaden 0,5. Es ist unwahrscheinlich, daß diese niedrigen DDT-Konzentrationen ungünstige Wirkungen auf Barracuda-Larven haben, sofern diese nicht eine außergewöhnliche Empfindlichkeit aufweisen.
Die Menge des Bauchfetts und die Pestizid-Konzentrationen im Gewebe ist zu Beginn der Laichzeit am höchsten, auf dem Höhepunkt und am Ende derselben aber am niedrigsten. Falls dieses auch für andere Fisch-Species gilt, ist anzunehmen, daß die Entnahme von Stichproben zur Bestimmung von Pestiziden in Fisch-geweben ein- oder zweimal im Jahr zu irreführenden Ergebnissen hinsichtlich der Umweltverschmutzung führt.
Fleisch und Gewebe aller Barracudas wurden an Katzen verfüttert, ohne daß Symptome einer Vergiftung (mit Ciguatoxin) auftraten.
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This investigation was supported by U.S. Public Health Service grant No. 3 P01 ES00052-07 and 07S1/9001908 and Dept. of Commerce NOAA Sea Grant No. 2-35147.
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Deichmann, W.B., Cubit, D.A., MacDonald, W.E. et al. Organochlorine pesticides in the tissues of the great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) (Waldbaum). Arch. Toxikol. 29, 287–309 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326645
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326645