Organic pollutant characterization and toxicity testing of settling particulate matter by nanoinjection in sea trout (Salmo trutta) eggs

A "nanoinjection" technique was used to expose sea trout (Salmo truttta) eg gs to a toluene extract of settling particulate matter (SPM) and fractions thereof from the urban waters of Stockholm, Sweden. Total extract (unfracti onated), fractions collected using fractionation on an open Florisil(R) col umn (F1-F4), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) aminopropylsilic a/2(1-pyrenyl)ethyldimethylsilulated silica column (A1-A7 and A2/P1-P3), an d recombined fractions of Florisil (F-Ret) and HPLC (A-Rec) were injected i nto fertilized sea trout eggs. Toxicity was evaluated on the basis of defor mities at hatching and in larval stages and on the basis of larvae mortalit y. Chemical analysis, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, was perfo rmed on all HPLC fractions and indicated that major components of fractions A2/P1 and A3 through A7 were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or th eir alkylated derivatives. Fraction A2/P2 contained non-ortho-chlorinated b iphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, and some Cl- substituted PAHs. Deformities at hatching were observed mainly in the larva e exposed to fraction A-Rec. F2 showed the highest effect on larvae mortali ty, and both F-Rec and A-Rec showed antagonistic mechanisms. The frequency of deformities in larvae was highest in fractions A2/P2, F4, and A-Rec. Fra ctions A2/P1 and F1, which partly contained similar substances, showed simi lar effects on deformity at hatching and larvae mortality; however. F1 show ed no effect on larvae abnormality compared with A2/P1. This could have bee n due to antagonistic mechanisms acting in F1.