Formation and distribution of phenanthrene and its metabolites (monohydroxy-phenanthrenes) in Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii)

This study investigated the tissue distribution of phenanthrene (PHE) and the formation of monohydroxy-phenanthrene (OH-PHE) metabolites in Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii). PHE was intragastrically administered to two groups of rockfish. The first group was exposed to PHE at a low dose (10 mg/kg body weight) and the second group was exposed at a high dose (30 mg/kg body weight). The rockfish were analyzed and the levels of PHE were higher in the liver, followed by muscle, and then bile. PHE concentrations in the liver, muscle, and bile were 1.4–26, 0.10–2.01, and not detected (ND)–0.13 μg/g wet weight, respectively. All five monohydroxylated PHE metabolites (1-OH-PHE, 2-OH-PHE, 3-OH-PHE, 4-OH-PHE, and 9-OH-PHE) were detected only in bile. Among these OH-PHE metabolites, 3-OH-PHE was found at the highest concentration from all fish bile samples in both PHE exposure groups, indicating that regioselective OH-PHE formation occurs in rockfish and 3-OH PHE could be a good biomarker of exposure of Korean rockfish to PHE. Suspect screening analysis of the rockfish bile was performed by LC-QTOF/MS, and the formation of two OH-PHE-DNA adducts (thymine–OH–PHE and cytosine–OH–PHE) were identified in the bile sample collected 6 h after rockfish were exposed to the high PHE dose, indicating that OH-PHE metabolites may be toxic to fish. This is the first report on the formation characteristics of OH-PHE metabolites in rockfish and their use as biomarkers of exposure of rockfish to parent PHE. [Display omitted] •Formation of hydroxyphenanthrenes (OH-PHEs) in fish bile was regioselective.•3-OH-PHE in bile can be used as a biomarker of rockfish exposure to PHE.•OH-PHE metabolite formation in rockfish was time- and dose-dependent.•Two OH-PHE-DNA adducts were identified through suspect screening. The characteristic formation pattern of monohydroxylated metabolites of phenanthrene in rockfish is regioselective and dependent on the exposure time and dose of parent phenanthrene.