Ratios of enantiomers of alpha-HCH and determination of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HCH isomers in brain and other tissues of neonatal Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus)

The ratios of the two enantiomers of alpha-HCH have been determined by high resolution gas chromatography using different chiral stationary phases of the cyclodextrin-type in brain, blubber, liver, and lung tissues of neonatal Northern fur seals of different health status. The ratio of the two enantiomers (+)-α- HCH (−)-α- HCH (tentatively assigned) varied from 1.8 to 28 in blubber and brain, respectively. Northern fur seal milk and cod liver oil were analyzed for comparison. In addition, the concentrations of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HCH isomers in the fur seal samples were determined. The three isomers (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HCH) gave a tissue specific distribution with a rather constant alpha-HCH/gamma-HCH ratio of 4 ± 2. Only the brain tissue gave an alpha-HCH/gamma-HCH ratio of 36 ± 1.