Fish Bile as Biomarker of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Pollution in the Khure Mussa – Persian Gulf

Abstract

Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon ( TPH ) are environmental contaminants that are released into the marine environment through oil spills, industrial and domestic activities. TPH are readily transformed into more <br />hydrophilic metabolites, which are accumulated in bile. Thus <span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">sh bile can be used as a biomarker of exposure of </span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">sh </span>to TPH in the marine environment. in this study several stations were selected from the Khure Mussa in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. Fish and sediment sampling were collected in the 2009. Preparation and analysis of the samples were performed according to MOOPAM method using Spectro <span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fl</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">orophotometer (UVF(. The highest average concentration of TPH in sediment was </span>364.91 mg/kg (dry weight) and was observed in Jafari station. The maximum concentration of TPH in bile liquid of <span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">sh (Euryglossa orientalis ) was 525 mg/l which was found in </span>Zangi station. Statistical analysis revealed a signi<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">cant differences between TPH concentration in sediment and in bile</span>liquid of <span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">sh (Euryglossa orientalis ) in the study area (P</span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">sh bile observed in </span>this study suggests that <span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: xx-small;">sh bile can be used as a tool for bio-monitoring of TPH pollution.</span></span>