Relationship between biotransformation and the toxicity and fate of xenobiotic chemicals in fish.

Many of the biotransformation reactions which have been described for xenobiotic substances in mammals have been demonstrated in fish in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Several of these biotransformation reactions have been shown to occur in fish at rates which are sufficient to have significant effects on the toxicity and residue dynamics of selected chemicals. Inhibition of these reactions can lead to increased toxicity and bioaccumulation factors for certain chemicals. Several classes of compounds, including some polychlorinated biphenyls, are metabolized slowly, and their disposition in fish may not be influenced to any great extent by biotransformation. Metabolites of compounds which are biotransformed rapidly may appear in certain fish tissues, and in many instances these are not accounted for by conventional residue analysis methods. Microsomal mixed-function oxidases in several species of fish have been demonstrated to be induced by specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and by exposure of fish to crude oil. Induction of these enzymes in fish can result in both qualitative and quantitative differences in the metabolic disposition of xenobiotics to which fish are exposed.