Whole-body and body-part-specific bioconcentration of explosive compounds in sheepshead minnows.

Sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) were exposed to radiolabeled isotopes of the explosives 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), exahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (commonly known as RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (commonly known as HMX), yielding the bioconcentration factors (BCF) of 3.3, 0.7, and 0.1 L kg(-1), respectively. For TNT, the body residue of transformation product exceeded that of the parent compound by factors of 1, 8, and 16 for total aminonitrotoluenes, total extractable compounds, and total transformation products, respectively, with substantial bioaccumulation of both non-identified extractable and unextractable (i.e., tissue-bound), compounds. In comparison, the sum body residues of RDX and HMX transformation products were <4 times higher than for parent compounds. The concentrations of RDX and HMX and their transformation products were similar among liver, viscera (excluding liver), gills, and body remains (integument and muscles), while 46% of the TNT transformation products resided in the liver, and 64% of the parent compound was in the viscera.