THE DEVELOPMENT, EVALUATION AND APPLICATION OF A PHYSIOLGICALLY-BASED TOXICOKINETIC MODEL FOR FLUORANTHENE IN RAINBOW TROUT (Onchorhyncus mykiss)

by Smith, Carrie Anne

The objective of this research was to develop, evaluate and apply a physiologically based toxicokinetic model for the uptake of waterborne fluoranthene in rainbow trout. The model was parameterized and solved to predict the time course of fluoranthene in the liver, kidney, fat, poorly and richly perfused tissues, gonads, and brain of trout. Tissue concentrations observed after exposing trout to fluoranthene were compared with predicted tissue concentrations to evaluate the model. The model poorly characterized fluoranthene distribution during the initial uptake phase and accurately predicted uptake at later times. A suspected deviation from one of the model’s primary assumptions (flow-limited exchange) explained the discrepancies between observed and predicted fluoranthene concentrations at early times. The model was applied to predict fluoranthene uptake across the biological temperature range of trout and throughout the reproductive cycle of female trout. In general, uptake increased with temperature and decreased in the ovaries as spawning approached.