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Effects of persistent organic pollutants on the thyroid function of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from the Aegean sea, is it an endocrine disruption?
Schnitzler, J.G.; Koutrakis, E.T.; Siebert, U.; Thomé, J.-P.; Das, K. (2008). Effects of persistent organic pollutants on the thyroid function of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from the Aegean sea, is it an endocrine disruption? Mar. Pollut. Bull. 56(10): 1755-1764. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.06.011
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keywords
    Aquaculture
    Biological phenomena > Accumulation > Bioaccumulation
    Biology > Histology
    Chemical compounds > Arsenic compounds
    Chemical compounds > Halogen compounds > Chlorine compounds
    Chemical compounds > Organic compounds > Hydrocarbons > Halogenated hydrocarbons > Chlorinated hydrocarbons > DDT
    Diseases > Organic diseases > Diseases > Endocrine diseases
    Endocrine systems
    Hormones > Thyroid hormones
    Morphometry
    Persistence
    Pollution
    Pollution
    Polychlorinated biphenyls
    Sea bass
    Secretory organs > Glands > Endocrine glands > Thyroid
    Secretory products > Hormones
    Vertebrates > Fishes > Osteichthyes > Perciformes > Serranidae > Marine fishes > Sea bass
    Water pollution effects
    Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) [WoRMS]; Serranidae Swainson, 1839 [WoRMS]
    MED, Aegean [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal

Authors  Top 
  • Schnitzler, J.G., more
  • Koutrakis, E.T., more
  • Siebert, U.

Abstract
    We evaluated the alterations of organochlorinated compounds such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCB), dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (DDE) and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) on the thyroid in wild and cultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) at environmental concentrations. These compounds influence the endocrine system of many fish species and are qualified as endocrine disruptors. The thyroid seems to be a target organ. Two alteration endpoints: the thyroid histology and the muscular thyroid hormone concentrations, were used simultaneously. High concentrations in PCBs and DDT were detected in muscles, supporting the idea that the Mediterranean fauna could be more polluted than the Atlantic fauna. The high abundance of DDE indicates a progressive degradation of remnant DDT load and the absence of new inputs in this area. Aquaculture sea bass shows a significant higher amount of pollutants on fresh weight basis (especially PCBs) in their muscles compared to the wild sea bass. Those differences may be related mainly to the contaminations of diet. Thyroid parameters vary between wild and aquaculture sea bass, wild sea bass were characterized by higher follicle diameters, epithelial cell heights and muscular T4 concentrations. A significant relationship between persistent organic pollutants (muscular PCBs and DDT concentration) and the different thyroid parameters (diameters of follicles, epithelial cell heights and muscular T4 levels) could be observed, which support the hypothesis that these compounds have an adverse impact on thyroid morphometry and function.

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