Uptake, metabolism and excretion of bisphenol A in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The uptake, metabolism and excretion of the oestrogenic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) were studied in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). BPA w as detectable in plasma, liver and muscle after 2 h of water exposure at 0. 44 muM (100 mug BPA/l), and a steady state was reached within 12-24 h. The concentration of the glucuronidated degradation product in the plasma was a bout twice that of the parent compound. A plasma half life of BPA was calcu lated as 3.75 h following injection of the compound. The vitellogenin synth esis was measured in response to the BPA treatment, and a lag period of 5 a nd 7 days between injection of the compound and a significant vitellogenin response was observed for females and males, respectively. At the time of t he vitellogenin response no BPA could be detected in the liver tissue from either male or female fish. These results indicate that fish briefly expose d to elevated levels of oestrogenic chemicals might develop a response seve ral days later. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.