No abstract

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry were injected intramuscularly with 3H-p,p′-DDT and 14C-aldrin either alone or as a mixture at concentrations similar to those found in "naturally" contaminated fish; their rates of metabolism and clearance were then compared 3H-p,p′-DDT was cleared slowly from the fish: approximately 60% of the injected material remained 8 wk after injection. 14C-aldrin was cleared much more rapidly, only 55% of the injected material remaining in the fish 1 day after injection and less than 10% remaining at the end of the experiment 3H-p,p′-DDT was dehydrochlorinated to p,p′-DDE; assuming an exponential rate of conversion, its half-life was 60 days. In contrast, 50% of the aldrin residues in the fish were epoxidized to dieldrin within 2 days. No interactions between the insecticides were observed although aldrin apparently induced a slight increase in the fraction of total body weight accounted for by liver.