Research Article Open Access

Bioaccumulation and Tissue Partitioning of Endosulfan by the Red Hybrid Tilapia

Dwight E. Robinson1
  • 1 University of West Indies, Jamaica

Abstract

The frequent use of endosulfan in agricultural activity on steep slopes in Jamaica and subsequent contamination of rivers by the residues resulted in a need to assess the levels of bioaccumulation of sub-lethal doses of the insecticide in river fauna using Tilapia fish as a test subject. Bioconcentration of α- and β-endosulfan by the Red Hybrid Tilapia, from 0.0075 mg L-1 in the surrounding water, reached a peak (0.578 ppb and 0.442 ppb, respectively) in one to four hours but fluctuated during the rest of the 72-h observation period. A similar pattern of bioaccumulation was recorded when the fish were exposed to 0.015 mg L-1, except that the peak bioaccumulation of α- and β-isomers after one hour of exposure were 0.54 and 0.44 mg L-1, respectively. The contaminated fish (from 24-h exposure to 0.015 mg L-1) eliminated only 18 to 31% of endosulfan residues after 24 h and 26 to 39% after 72-h exposure to uncontaminated water. During the process of bioconcentration, endosulfan was metabolized to endosulfan lactone and sulfate; the degradation was more during the elimination process when exposed to clean water. Maximum amounts of α-and β-endosulfan and their metabolites were partitioned in gonads > liver > gills > skin/muscle/bone.

OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences
Volume 15 No. 3, 2015, 97-103

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2015.97.103

Submitted On: 24 February 2015 Published On: 29 June 2015

How to Cite: Robinson, D. E. (2015). Bioaccumulation and Tissue Partitioning of Endosulfan by the Red Hybrid Tilapia. OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, 15(3), 97-103. https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2015.97.103

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Keywords

  • Endosulfan
  • Bioaccumulation
  • Tilapia