Use of polychlorinated biphenyl and toxic equivalent concentrations in scat from mink(Neovison vison) fed fish from the upper Hudson River to predict dietary and hepatic concentrations and health effects

To evaluate health effects associated with consumption of fish contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the upper Hudson River, farm‐raised mink were fed diets containing fish collected from the river. Endpoints assessed included adult reproductive performance, offspring growth and mortality, and organ mass and pathology of adults and their offspring. Scat samples were collected from adult males at the time of necropsy and from adult females just prior to whelping. Scat samples were analyzed for PCBs, polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). The present study provides the results of these analyses and compares ∑PCB and 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations in scat with dietary and hepatic concentrations associated with effects reported previously. Dry weight concentrations of ∑PCBs and ∑TEQs in scat generally increased with dietary concentration and reflected corresponding increases in hepatic concentrations of ∑PCBs and ∑TEQs. Maternal concentrations of ∑PCBs in scat expressed on a dry, wet, and lipid weight basis predicted to result in 50% kit mortality (LC50) were 1.0, 0.30, and 12 μg ∑PCBs/g. Concentrations of ∑PCBs in scat expressed on a dry, wet, and lipid weight basis predicted to result in 50% incidence of a previously reported jaw lesion (EC50) were 1.7, 0.48, and 24 μg ∑PCBs/g in adult females and 2.5, 0.87, and 19 μg ∑PCBs/g in adult males. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:563–575. © 2017 SETAC