The use of the bivalve Mytilus edulis as a test organism for bioconcentration studies: II. The bioconcentration of two 14C-labeled chlorinated paraffins

Abstract The bioconcentration of two 14 C-labeled chlorinated paraffins (CP) has been studied in a flow-through test system using the common mussel Mytilus edulis . Both CPs showed a rapid uptake rate and the CP with C 16 carbon chain and 34% chlorination had a bioconcentration factor (BCF) of about 7000 (fresh weight). The CP with a C 12 carbon chain and 69% chlorination had a very high BCF of almost 140,000 which on a lipid weight basis corresponds to a BCF of around 8,000,000. The C 12 CP showed a slow depuration rate in analogy with what has been observed earlier in fish. Radioactivity was recovered from both the fat and protein fractions after exposure to the C 12 CP with a level in the protein of about two orders of magnitude lower than in the fat. It is concluded that studies with CPs so far reported indicate that short carbon chain/high chlorinated chlorinated paraffins are strongly bioaccumulating and persistent chemicals.