Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated fish induces vitamin A and thyroid hormone deficiency in the common seal ( Phoca vitulina)

In this study the effect of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated fish on plasma retinol (vitamin A) and thyroid hormone concentrations, i.e. sensitive indicators of PCB-intoxication, were investigated in the common seal Phoca vitulina. Seals fed fish from the Wadden Sea (high-level PCB contam...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aquatic toxicology 1989, Vol.15 (1), p.99-105
Main Authors: Brouwer, A., Reijnders, P.J.H., Koeman, J.H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Environmental pollutants toxicology
Leerstoelgroep Toxicologie
Marine
Medical sciences
Phoca vitulina
Plasma
Polychlorinated biphenyl
Seal
Sub-department of Toxicology
Thyroid hormone
Toxicologie
Toxicology
Vitamin A
Water
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Summary:In this study the effect of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated fish on plasma retinol (vitamin A) and thyroid hormone concentrations, i.e. sensitive indicators of PCB-intoxication, were investigated in the common seal Phoca vitulina. Seals fed fish from the Wadden Sea (high-level PCB contamination) had significantly lower concentrations of plasma retinol, total (TT4) and free thyroxin (FT4) and triiodothyronin (TT3) as compared to seals fed fish from the north-east Atlantic (low-level PCB contamination). The PCB-induced reduction in plasma retinol levels disappeared when seals on a Wadden Sea fish diet were subsequently fed Atlantic Ocean fish. It is suggested that reduced plasma retinol and thyroid hormone levels, which may result in an increased susceptibility to microbial infections, reproductive disorders and other pathological alterations, are critically involved in the recently reported reproductive disorders and the lethal viral infections in seals and other marine mammal populations in the Baltic, North Sea and Wadden Sea.
ISSN:0166-445X
1879-1514
DOI:10.1016/0166-445X(89)90008-8