Exposure to the Polychlorinated biphenyl mixture Aroclor 1254 elicits neurological and cardiac developmental effects in early life stage zebrafish (Danio rerio).

The goal of this study was to compare the bioaccumulation of the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254 in zebrafish to cardiac and neurologic outcomes. The establishment of effect concentrations (ECs) for cardiac and neurotoxic effects of PCBs in early life stage fish is challenging due to a lack of measured PCB concentrations in test media (e.g., fish tissue), the lack of standard exposure methods, and the propensity of PCBs to adsorb to test glassware and materials resulting in discrepancies in ECs from different studies with similar endpoints. Reporting tissue concentrations in test organisms will allow for standardization across different tests and thus may improve estimations of effect thresholds. Early life stage zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a common environmental toxicological model well represented within the literature, making them ideal for comparisons across multiple studies. Embryos were exposed at 6 h post fertilization (hpf) to aqueous Aroclor 1254 for 96 h with or without renewal in addition to a PCB 126 positive control for cardiotoxicity. PCB concentrations were measured in both exposure solutions and tissue samples. Measured concentrations of Aroclor 1254 in test solutions ranged from 8.7% to 870% of nominal concentrations. Heart rate, pericardial edema, and neurological endpoints (eye tremors) were measured in 102 hpf larvae. Pericardial edema was not present in Aroclor 1254-treated zebrafish but was observed in those exposed to PCB-126. Concentration-dependent bradycardia was observed in zebrafish exposed to Aroclor 1254 and PCB-126. Similarly, a concentration-dependent increase in eye tremor behavior was observed in embryos exposed to Aroclor 1254. Data produced by this study demonstrate novel toxicological effects of Aroclor 1254 and highlight the importance of measuring PCBs in both exposure and receptor media.