PCBs and the energy cost of migration in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.)

• Published in: Aquatic Toxicology
• Main Authors: van Ginneken, V., Palstra, A.P., Leonards, P.E.G., Nieveen, M., Murk, A.J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl; aromatic-hydrocarbons; exposure; induction; metabolism; netherlands; polychlorinated-biphenyls; sexual-maturation; silver eels; vitamin-a; Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/pcbs-and-the-energy-cost-of-migration-in-the-european-eel-anguill; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2009.01.004

The effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the energy consumption of fasting silver European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) was studied over a 27-day period during which the animals were at rest or were swimming 800 km in Blazka swim tunnels. Three-year-old female hatchery eels (silver stage) between 73 and 80 cm long weighing around 1 kg were dosed intraperitoneally with PCBs at a nominal dosage of 10× the consumption standard as a mixture representative for planar (7 mug PCB126/kg eel), non-planar (5 mg PCB153/kg eel) and metabolizable PCBs (50 mug PCB77/kg eel) found in wild eel, or only with the vehicle (corn oil, 10 ml/kg eel). Four major observations were made: (1) PCB-exposed animals lose less weight compared to their unexposed controls; (2) PCB-concentrations on a lipid basis are 2.8-14 times higher in swimming compared to resting animals; (3) the standard metabolic rate is significantly lower in the PCB-exposed animals than in unexposed controls. In addition, PCB-exposure significantly reduces oxygen consumption during swimming, and starting at 400 km (18 days) this effect increases with time; (4) the relative spleen and liver weight significantly increased in the PCB-swim animals but not in the PCB-rest animals. The swimming animals lost about 75% more weight compared to resting animals and had about 50% lower plasma fat content. Hematocrit, haemoglobin, plasma pH, ion levels (sodium and potassium), and plasma lactate were not affected by PCB-exposure or swimming. Apparently, the current levels of PCBs and other dioxin-like compounds may seriously impair the reproduction of the European eel