Metabolism of pyrene by two clam species, Mya arenaria and Protothaca staminea

Two species of marine clam, Mya arenaria and Protothaca staminea, were exposed to pyrene and 1-hydroxypyrene in small glass aquaria. After 10 days of exposure the clams were sacrificed, and both clam tissue and seawater were assayed for pyrene metabolites by using HPLC, fluorescence spectroscopy, HPLC–ESI–MS, GC–MS and 1H-NMR spectrometry. 1-Pyrenol-1-hydrogensulfate (pyrene-1-sulfate) was identified as the major water soluble metabolite formed from both pyrene and 1-hydroxypyrene by both species of clam. 1-Hydroxypyrene was identified as a minor metabolite of pyrene, and pyrenediol–hydrogen sulfate was identified as a minor metabolite of 1-hydroxypyrene.