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.