A survey of in vivo benzo[alpha]pyrene metabolism in small benthic marine invertebrates

A micro-extraction technique was used to examine in vivo polycyclic aromati c hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolism in 10 small invertebrate species exposed to sediments amended with 3H-benzo[alpha ]pyrene (BaP). Phyla examined include d Mollusca (Hydrobia totteni, Ilyanassa obsoleta, Yoldia limatula, and Gemm a gemma), Annelida (Nereis succinea, Pectinaria gouldii, Haploscolopolous s p., and Capitella sp. 1) and Arthropoda (Edotea triloba, and Gammarus mucro natus). Organisms were exposed to BaP-labeled sediments, harvested, and par ent BaP separated from all polar metabolites by liquid extraction The perce nt of BaP-derived radioactivity present as polar metabolites ranged from 96 % for N. succinea to 7% for P. gouldii. Wide ranges in metabolic capability were also observed between species in the other two phyla examined. Revers e-phase HPLC analysis of extracts of representative species from each phyla indicated that all these organisms form bay region metabolites, with two s pecies forming the 7,8-dihydrodiol (N. succinea and G. mucronatus). In ligh t of the high variability in metabolic capability observed within each phyl um, species-specific information on metabolic ability should be obtained be fore assessing bioaccumulation, critical body burdens, or trophic transfer of PAHs in invertebrates. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.