苯并(a)芘、芘及其混合物暴露对梭鱼肝脏谷胱甘肽硫转移酶活性的影响

在实验生态条件下,观察苯并(a)芘、芘及其等浓度混合物暴露对梭鱼(Mugil so-iuy)肝脏谷胱甘肽硫转移酶(GST)活性的影响。结果显示,在7d的暴露中,苯并(a)芘、芘对肝脏GST活性的影响主要为诱导效应,芘对GST活性的诱导比苯并(a)芘强。混合物在15d的暴露中未观察到GST活性的诱导,而是在暴露的后期出现GST活性的抑制。实验表明,肝脏GST活性的诱导指示受到PAHs污染胁迫,而GST活性抑制则是受到较长时间或较严重的污染。     

苯并（a）芘对大弹涂鱼肝脏超氧化物歧化酶活性的影响

在实验生态条件下，研究了在苯并（a)芘（BaP)胁迫下大弹涂鱼肝脏超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性的变化，结果显示：暴露3d时，不同BaP含量组大弹涂鱼肝脏SOD活性无显著差异（P＞0．05），而暴露7d时，随着B aP含量的升高，0.5mg/dm^3 BaP含量组SOD活性被显著诱导（P＜0．05），为对照组的1．87倍；随着暴露时间的延长，各含量组肝脏SOD的活性均表现出不同程度的下降趋势，其中对照组肝脏SOD活性显著降低，表明SOD活性易受污染以外的因素，如水体容量、铒料、光照等的影响。污染解除后，0.5mg/dm^3含量组SOD活性显著升高，表明大弹涂鱼肝脏仍具有较强的生理调节机能，也可能表明SOD活性的变化相对于环境因子改变的“迟滞性”。以上这些结果表明SOD有可能作为大弹涂鱼受BaP胁迫的生物指标。     

Correlative changes in metabolism and DNA damage in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) exposed to benzo[a]pyrene

Juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) were injected intraperitoneally with either corn oil or 5 mg/kg benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) dissolved in corn oil and sampled I and 3 days after injection. After 1 day, no elevation of 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was observed, however bile metabolites (BaP-7,8 dihydrodiol representing 70% of the total metabolites) and a single hepatic DNA adduct spot (0.47 adducts/10(8) nucleotides) identified by 32P-postlabelling were formed. No BaP metabolites or DNA adducts were observed in either control or carrier control fish. Fish sampled after 3 days reported 5-fold higher (P < 0.05) levels of EROD activity, a shift in the bile metabolite profile towards BaP phenol formation (1OH and 30H BaP comprising up to 60% of total metabolites detected) and the formation of two adduct spots (0.86 and 0.71 adducts/10(8) nucleotides). These results show that BaP can be metabolised and form hydrophobic DNA adducts in turbot without EROD elevation. Following EROD elevation, a shift in the profile of both BaP metabolites and BaP metabolite-DNA interactions occurs indicative of other oxidative processes.     

Accumulation and effects of benzo(a)pyrene on cytochrome P450 1A in waterborne exposed and intraperitoneal injected juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)

Juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) were exposed to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) for 14 d using a glass bead generator flow-through system. Exposure was followed by a recovery period of 16 d. The highest BaP concentration in the edible portion of the fish, 16.5 ± 4.3 μg BaP/kg, was observed on the first day. Then concentrations dropped following first-order kinetics. BaP was below detection level at the end of the experiment. A statistically significant increase in bile fluorescence was observed from day 9 until the end of the experiment, suggesting the elimination of BaP metabolites by this route. No significant differences between control and exposed fish in EROD activity and CYP1A concentration, measured by immunodetection method, were observed. Intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 mg BaP/kg in juvenile turbot induced EROD activity. Under waterborne experimental conditions, bile fluorescence was observed to be a more sensitive biomarker of BaP exposure than EROD activity and CYP1A measurement.     

苯并(a)芘和芘对梭鱼肝脏DNA损伤的研究

用苯并(a)芘、芘以及它们的等量混和物,分别在浓度为0.1,1,10,20,50μg/dm3浓度下对梭鱼暴污,5d后取梭鱼肝脏和鳃用碱解旋法分别测定其DNA的损伤,结果随着污染物浓度的增加,肝脏DNA损伤程度增加;在相同浓度下,苯并(a)芘和芘的联合毒性大于苯并(a)芘和芘分别作用时的毒性之和。所以苯并(a)芘和芘对DNA损伤的联合作用应为加强作用。     

Effects of single and combined exposures to benzo(a)pyrene and 3,3'4,4'5-pentachlorobiphenyl on EROD activity and development in Fundulus heteroclitus

The goal of this study was to assess the interactive effects of a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and a co-planar halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon (HAH), 3,3'4,4'5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) on ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and occurrence of deformities in Fundulus heteroclitus. While each compound administered alone elicited dose-dependent increases in EROD activity, the combined treatment of these two compounds generally did not elicit an additive EROD response. There was a significant correlation between deformity occurrence and EROD induction in embryos dosed with PCB alone but not for embryos dosed with BaP alone, or a combination of BaP and PCB 126.     

苯并[a]芘(BaP)对褐菖鲉(Sebasticus marmoratus)肝CYP1A1酶活性、基因表达及蛋白表达的影响

为了了解苯并[a]芘(BaP)对鱼类细胞色素P4501A1(CYP1A1)表达的影响,以褐菖鲉(Sebasticus marmoratus)为实验材料,采用体内实验,研究其在经过不同浓度(0.1、1、10、20、50mg/kg鱼体重量)的BaP诱导后,鱼体肝脏研究CYP1A1基因表达的情况,筛选出后续时间-效应实验中BaP注射的最佳浓度,研究BaP诱导6h、12h、1d、3d、7d后(质量浓度为20mg/kg鱼体重量)鱼体肝脏CYP1A1酶活性、基因表达和蛋白表达的情况。结果表明:剂量-效应实验中,20mg/kg鱼体重量为最佳浓度,此浓度下,基因表达在各组中变化最显著。时间-效应实验中,较空白对照组而言,染毒6h、12h和1d后,EROD酶活性显著增加。3d后开始下降,与对照组相比变化不大,7d后酶活性又发生上调。半定量RT-PCR结果表明,各染毒组与对照组相比,CYP1A1基因表达量都发生了上调,呈现先上升后下降的趋势。其中,6h和12h组相对表达量极显著增加,1d后开始下降且与3d和7d组相比变化不明显。Western blot结果表明,蛋白表达量在染毒12h后表现出显著的诱导效应,随着时间的延长略有回落,但与对照组相比仍有显著性差异。研究表明:BaP对褐菖鲉CYP1A1具有较强的诱导作用。一定质量浓度的BaP注射于褐菖鲉不同的时间后,能诱导褐菖鲉活体EROD酶活性、CYP1A1基因m RNA表达及蛋白表达,并随着时间的延长呈现先诱导后抑制的趋势。这说明BaP作为诱导剂对CYP1A1酶活性和蛋白表达的作用机制可能与调控CYP1A1的转录水平有关。     

菲、芘、苯并(a)芘单一暴露及分别与α-萘黄酮(ANF)联合暴露对海水青鳉(Oryzias melastigma)胚胎发育毒性效应的比较研究

为了解和探讨3~5环PAHs对海水鱼类胚胎发育的毒性及作用方式,比较研究了菲(phenanthrene,Phe)、芘(pyrene,Py)、苯并(a)芘(benzo(a)pyrene,BaP)单一暴露和三者各自与α-萘黄酮(α-naphthoflavone,ANF)联合暴露对海水青鳉(marine medaka, Oryzias melastigma)胚胎发育的毒性效应。胚胎体内EROD活性、发育畸形、孵化率和心律等毒性指标被测定,结果显示:Phe,Py和BaP对海水青鳉胚胎体内EROD活性的诱导能力大小为BaP>Py>Phe,各化合物对EROD诱导与发育畸形之间的关系较为复杂,除Phe所引起的EROD诱导与畸形指数之间呈显著相关(r=0.95,p=0.015)外,Py和BaP均无相关性;在100 μg/dm3 ANF影响下,CYP1A活性诱导被抑制,但胚胎发育的畸形指数被显著提高,ANF分别与Phe,Py和BaP的联合暴露对胚胎发育呈潜在的协同作用。本文研究初步表明,3~5环PAHs化合物对海水青鳉胚胎发育的毒性作用方式可能不同;CYP1A活性抑制在PAHs混合物对海水青鳉胚胎发育的毒性作用过程中未起到缓解毒性的作用,CYP1A抑制剂与PAH型CYP1A诱导剂的混合物对鱼类胚胎发育具有潜在的协同毒性作用,现有的PAHs混合物毒性风险评价方法可能低估了实际环境中PAHs的风险;海水青鳉早期生活阶段的心脏发育对PAHs混合物暴露较为敏感,可推荐其作为生物标志物指示PAHs或溢油污染。     

苯并(a)芘影响黑鲷肝脏EROD活性变化的动力学研究

研究了黑鲷(Sparusmacro cephalus)在实验生态条件下暴露于不同浓度苯并(a)芘(benzo(a)pyrene,BaP)后,肝脏乙氧基异吩噁唑酮脱乙基酶(EROD)活性在不同暴露时相的动力学变化情况.EROD活性采用动力学方法测定.实验结果表明,暴露于较低质量浓度BaP(0.5,1.0μg/L)黑鲷肝脏的EROD活性在2 d后极显著高于对照组(P<0.01),2.0μg/L组则在2 h后极显著高于对照组,并且随暴露时间的延长,诱导程度表现出不同的下降趋势,而暴露于高质量浓度组(5.0 μg/L)的肝脏EROD活性极显著性诱导出现在12h.总体上较高质量浓度组(2.0,5.0μg/L)EROD活性出现极显著性诱导的时间比低质量浓度组(0.5,1.0μg/L)早,诱导程度也比低质量浓度组的高.在净化实验中各暴露组肝脏EROD活性均下降,与空白对照组比较均没有显著性差异,说明试验浓度没有超出严重损伤肝脏自身恢复系统的范围,在此浓度范围内污染的鱼通过净化可清除BaP污染.     

Microsomal estrogen metabolism in channel catfish

Our goal was to study the involvement of cytochrome P450 genes in estrogen metabolism and the extent to which the potentially carcinogenic 4-hydroxyestradiol metabolite is formed by channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus; CC). Estradiol metabolism and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity were assessed in several tissues from fish collected from three variably contaminated sites in the Mississippi River Delta, from laboratory control fish, and from fish exposed to 20 mg/kg benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) i.p. for 4 days. Liver EROD activity was induced by BaP, but Delta fish EROD activities were not statistically higher than activities in control fish. Gill microsomal EROD activity was also induced by BaP, but activities were 8- to 77-fold lower than those from liver. The predominant estrogen metabolites formed by CC liver, gill and gonad microsomes were 2-hydroxyestradiol and estrone as detected by GC/MS. Liver and gill 2-hydroxyestradiol formation was induced in BaP-dosed fish. The trends in hydroxyestradiol formation in field collected fish were more variable. In all fish liver microsomes there was more 2- compared to 4-hydroxyestradiol formed. However, BaP-treatment increased the 4:2 hydroxyestradiol ratio from 0.04 in control fish to 0.2 in BaP-exposed fish, suggesting that BaP induces the formation of the potentially genotoxic estrogen metabolite. No detectable 4-hydroxyestradiol was produced by gill and gonad microsomes. These results will ultimately help in determining which fish P450 genes are susceptible to environmental contamination and may be involved in estrogen genotoxicity.     

The Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) model: applicability for investigating the immunosuppressive effects of the aquatic pollutant benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)

Despite the fact that BaP is a carcinogen, mammalian immunosuppressant, and ubiquitous aquatic pollutant, knowledge regarding the effects of BaP on the immune system of fish is still lacking. To begin to fill this gap, studies were conducted in medaka to examine the effects and mechanisms by which BaP exposure might alter host immunocompetence. Fish, exposed by IP injection of BaP (2-600 microg/g BW), were examined after 48 h for effects upon immune function and CYP1A expression/activity. Benzo[a]pyrene, at a concentration below that which increased levels of CYPIA expression/activity (2 microg BaP/g BW) suppressed lymphocyte proliferation. Concentrations of BaP at 20 and 200 microg/g BW. suppressed antibody-forming cell (AFC) numbers, superoxide production, and host resistance against bacteria. In contrast, exposure to the low affinity aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist, benzo[e]pyrene (BeP), neither induced CYP1A expression nor altered immune function. Given the lack of immunosuppressive effects produced by BeP, and the fact that exposure to the AhR antagonist (and CYP1A inhibitor) alpha-naphthoflavone (ANF) ameliorated the suppressive effects of BaP upon AFC numbers, the AhR pathway (including CYP1A-mediated production of reactive BaP metabolites) appears important in mediating BaP-induced immunotoxicity in fish, as in mammals. In the past, the medaka has proven a successful model for assessing carcinogenic agents. These studies have demonstrated its utility for also determining the immunosuppressive effects of an important aquatic contaminant.     

苯并（a）芘诱导下岩虫CYP基因的表达特征

Rapid amplification of cDNA ends(RACE) and real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) were carried out to analyze the CYP4 gene expression in polychaete Marphysa sanguinea exposed to benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) in this study. The full length of MsCYP4 cDNA was 2 470 bp, and it encoded 512 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 47% identity with CYP4 F from frog Xenopus tropicalis and shared high homology with other known CYP4 sequences. To analyse the role of CYP4 in protecting M. sanguinea from BaP exposure, three BaP groups were established: 0.5, 5 and 50 μg/L. Polychaetes were sampled after 3, 7 and 12 d. At 0.5 μg/L, the effect of BaP on MsCYP4 gene expression increased with time prolonged. MsCYP4 gene expression curve showed Ushaped trend with time in 5 and 50 μg/L BaP groups. Therefore, MsCYP4 gene may play an important role in maintaining the balance of cellular metabolism and protecting M. sanguinea from BaP toxicity.     

微塑料和芘对菲律宾蛤仔的毒性效应研究

海洋环境中微塑料和多环芳烃(PAHs)污染日益严重,以滤食动物菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapes philippinarum)为研究对象,探讨了聚苯乙烯微塑料和芘单一及联合暴露对菲律宾蛤仔的毒性效应.分别采用两个聚苯乙烯微塑料粒径(0.3μm和6μm,20 μg/L)和两个芘浓度水平(10 μg/L和100μg/L)单独和联合暴露21d,测定其对菲律宾蛤仔生理活动(肥满度和摄食率)、免疫防御、氧化应激等相关生物标志物的影响.研究结果表明,除芘单一暴露组外,其余暴露组菲律宾蛤仔的摄食率与对照组相比都显著降低,但这两种污染物对菲律宾蛤仔的肥满度没有显著影响.微塑料和芘暴露均导致菲律宾蛤仔免疫功能受损,表现为血细胞凋亡率增加和吞噬活性被抑制;其中,在小粒径微塑料和高浓度芘存在的暴露组血细胞凋亡率均显著高于对照组,并且二者联合暴露组血细胞凋亡率最高;除大粒径微塑料暴露组外,各暴露组血细胞吞噬活性均显著低于对照组.菲律宾蛤仔抗氧化酶系统不能及时清除体内产生的自由基,导致机体出现氧化损伤现象,表现为抗氧化酶活性变化和丙二醛(MDA)含量升高.微塑料和芘联合暴露导致鳃组织谷胱甘肽疏基转移酶(GST)活性显著升高,消化腺组织过氧化氡酶(CAT)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性显著降低.综合生物标志物指数(IBR)结果显示,联合暴露对菲律宾蛤仔造成的胁迫压力高于单一暴露组.     

Interactive effects of cadmium and benzo[a]pyrene on metallothionein induction in mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus).

Previous experiments demonstrated that exposure of mummichog to cadmium (Cd) in combination with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) caused a higher mortality than would be expected from simple additive effects. Experiments are described here that investigated whether BaP exposure inhibits the induction of metallothionein (MT), a major detoxifying protein for Cd, or if reactive BaP metabolites compete with Cd for binding sites on MT. Fish were injected with or without BaP (18 mg/kg) in combination with a low (1 mg/kg) or high (3.2 mg/kg) dose of Cd, and in one treatment BP was dosed 4 days after Cd. The results showed a rapid induction of MT to 1.5 mg/g wet weight liver, 1 day after injecting the low Cd dose. Simultaneous BaP exposure significantly delayed the induction of MT, for both low and high Cd doses, and BaP temporarily lowered the induced MT concentration when dosed 4 days after induction by Cd. To test if binding of BaP metabolites to MT reduces the detoxification potential for Cd, microsomes of CYP1A-induced fish were incubated with MT and radiolabeled BaP. Active metabolism of BaP was observed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, but no association of BaP metabolites with MT was found. Neither could this be demonstrated in vivo, in liver MT isolated from mummichog dosed with 3H-BaP and Cd. These results suggest that increased toxicity of Cd in combination with BaP exposure is likely to be caused by inhibited MT synthesis, rather than by interference of BaP metabolites with Cd binding on MT.     

Response of the mixed-function oxidase system to toxicant dose, food and acclimation temperature in the bluegill sunfish

The degree of induction of hepatic mixed function oxidase (MFO) enzymes in fish is modulated by environmental conditions. This study was designed to investigate the influence of water temperature, presence or absence of food, and exposure to benzo(a]pyrene (BaP) on the inductive response of bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). The results show an increase in 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity with an increase in acclimation temperature and dose. This activity appears to be associated with a very small fraction of the total cytochrome P-450 induced. Major changes were observed in the 53- and 57-kilodaltons (kDa) electrophoretic bands.     

Benzo(a)pyrene induced glycine N-methyltransferase messenger RNA expression in Fundulus heteroclitus embryos

Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) is a mediator in the methionine and folate cycles, and is responsible for the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to glycine forming S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and sarcosine. All the known DNA methyltransferases use SAM as a methyl donor thus, GNMT is critically involved in regulation of DNA methylation. Altered GNMT activities have been associated with liver pathologies including hepatocellular carcinoma. The homotetramer form of GNMT is enzymatically active, but the homodimeric form has been suggested as the 4S PAH-binding protein which may mediate CYP1A expression. To further understand the role of GNMT in benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)-related toxicity, full length Fundulus heteroclitus GNMT cDNA was cloned from adult liver. The open reading frame (ORF) of GNMT is 888 base pairs long and encodes a deduced protein of 295 amino acids which has 74% identity with human GNMT. Expression of GNMT mRNA was determined by quantitative RT-PCR. In unfertilized, 2 days postfertilization (dpf), and 3 dpf embryos GNMT was constitutively higher than in 4, 7, 10 or 14 dpf embryos. Embryos were also exposed to waterborne BaP at 10 and 100 μg L⁻¹, and by 10 dpf the higher BaP dose caused increased expression of GNMT mRNA. These results suggest that PAH exposure may alter expression of an important physiological methylation mediator. Future work will be necessary to determine enzyme level effects of BaP exposure as well.     

菲与芘在砂基培养的红树植物秋茄中的分布与可视化定位

本研究采用系列浓度盆栽试验研究多环芳烃（PAHs）菲与芘在红树植物秋茄（Kandelia obova-ta）中的迁移与分布规律,采用加速溶剂萃取（ASE）法和气相色谱-质谱（GC-MS）方法测定秋茄叶片和根中的多环芳烃含量,应用倒置荧光显微镜对秋茄叶片中的多环芳烃进行定位表征.结果表明：秋茄能从培养液中吸收菲和芘,并将根系吸收的菲和芘向叶片运输.秋茄体内菲和芘含量随处理时间（4、8、21 d）呈现先上升后下降的趋势,在培养8 d达到最大值.与4 d和8 d处理相比,在21d试验完成后,秋茄根与叶中的菲和芘含量显著降低,表明在红树植物体内存在明显的PAHs降解或者挥发.秋茄根系中的菲和芘含量随处理浓度提高而增高,与叶片相比,PAHs更多地在根部累积.在叶片中,菲和芘主要储存在叶片的维管束及附近的海绵组织中.     

原油WSF对三种海洋鱼类肝微粒体EROD活性的诱导和恢复的比较

研究了实验室条件下原油水溶性组分(WSF)暴露对黑鲷、黄鳍鲷和褐菖鲉肝微粒体EROD活性的剂量-效应,时间-效应和恢复过程。实验结果表明,在剂量诱导实验中,褐菖鲉肝EROD活性在原油WSF浓度为50μg/dm3时呈现生物统计学上的显著差异,而黑鲷和黄鳍鲷肝EROD活性在75μg/dm3时才呈现生物统计学上的显著差异;褐菖鲉肝EROD活性诱导倍数最高,但黑鲷的诱导浓度范围较广。在时间诱导实验中,在40μg/dm3原油WSF暴露下黄鳍鲷肝EROD活性在2 d时首先呈现显著差异;三种鱼肝EROD活性均在第4天达到最高,并呈现显著性变化,此后随着暴露时间的延长而逐渐下降并接近对照组水平。在恢复实验中三种鱼肝EROD活性下降并恢复到对照组水平。研究结果表明:对于石油污染物,黑鲷、黄鳍鲷和褐菖鲉肝EROD活性都可以作为污染生化效应监测指标,然而就三种鱼类比较而言,褐菖鲉最敏感,更适合于作为石油类污染及其生化效应,尤其是低剂量效应的监测生物。     

Effect of intertidal compared to subtidal exposure on the uptake,loss and oxidative toxicity of water-born benzo[a]pyrene in the mantle and whole tissues of the mussel,Mytilus edulis L

Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis, L.) were exposed to a single dose of 1 ppb benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) under subtidal (SC) or tidal conditions (TC; 6 h immersion, 6 h emersion) in order to follow its bioaccumulation in whole mussel and mantle tissue, and to compare BaP-mediated toxicity on lipids (malonaldehyde formation, MDA) in the mantle. Rapid uptake of BaP (70-80% of BaP initially introduced in tanks) was observed in both conditions after 12 h, but subsequent depuration in clean water was slower in TC mussels. BaP levels decreased in whole tissue in both conditions between 12 and 24 h, but increased in mantle. The mantle BaP levels were similar during the first 4 days in SC and TC, but whereas they decreased in SC after 7 days. BaP was retained at high levels in mantle in TC until the end of the study (14 days). In both conditions, significant increases (P < 0.05) in lipid peroxidation were observed after 4 days, but MDA levels were approximately 3 times higher in the mantle of TC than SC mussels, although BaP tissue concentrations were similar. These observations suggested that increased BaP-mediated toxicity in mantle lipid was due to the interactive effect of the tidal cycle of immersion/emersion on BaP-mediated oxidative damage.     

Effect of varying sediment organic carbon content upon the dermal bioavailability and disposition of benzo(a)pyrene in the catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

The dermal absorption of ³H-benzo(a) pyrene (BaP) from sediments of varying organic carbon content was examined in the catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Test sediments of differing organic carbon concentrations were formulated from natural sediments with the addition of quartz sand to provide organic carbon content of 1.8, 3.7 and 6.1%. Sediments (1.0 g dry wt), spiked with BaP to provide 20.4 μCi at a BaP dose of 75 ng/g, were applied for 6 h to the skin surface (12 cm²) of anesthetized fish. Dermal exposure to BaP in formulated sediments at 6.1, 3.7 and 1.8% resulted in 6-h mass balance bioavailability values of 19.4, 21.9 and 23.2%, respectively. In all treatments, skin in direct contact with sediments had the highest concentration followed by the corresponding muscle layer. Muscle and skin not in direct contact with the labeled sediment had values which averaged 7–580 times lower than the corresponding exposed tissues. Other tissue values ranged from 0.44 pg/g in the heart to 64.21 pg/g in blood. These findings demonstrate appreciable uptake of BaP from surface applied sediments. Within the range examined, varying organic carbon content had a small, but inverse effect upon the dermal bioavailability of BaP.