brain barrier). These values were compared with those from marine biota like blue
mussels (Mytilus edulis L.; ER between 0.67 and 0.89), flounder (Platychthys flesus
L.; ER 0.80–0.94), common Eider duck (Somateria mollissima (L.); liver: ER ¼
1.4–1; kidney: ER ¼ 1.6; muscle: ER ¼ 7.0), harbour seals (Phoca vitulina;
blubber: ER ¼ 1.2–4.5; brain ¼ 7.9–1). Möller et al. concluded that the enrichment
of the α-HCH enantiomers in sheep fat and liver tissues is different from those found
in the respective tissues of marine biota of high trophic levels, and they assumed that
the enzymatic transformation pathways in the livers of the terrestrial (sheep) and
marine animals (harbour seals) of higher trophic levels are markedly different.
However, it is worth noting that the occurrence of β-pentachlorocyclohexene in all
tissues compared in the study by Möller et al. indicated the usual transformation
mechanism, that is, trans-dehydrohalogenation of α-HCH.
The impact of harmful substances on game animals from various regions of the
northern German state Schleswig-Holstein and the southern German state BadenWürttemberg was investigated in the course of a long-term program. The studies
included different species of wild animals. Special emphasis was placed upon the
residue contents of organochlorine compounds in the muscle and liver tissues of
game animals. The residue contents of α-HCH in liver tissues for both regions
showed a surprising result. The roe-deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) livers exhibited
remarkably high α-HCH contents. Furthermore, high concentrations of chlordane
isomers had been detected in the liver samples. This is insofar noteworthy, as the
application of these compounds was banned in Germany as early as 1974.
In a follow-up study by Pfaffenberger et al. (1994a, b; Pfaffenberger 1995), liver
samples of roe-deer were analysed for their content of α-HCH, heptachlor
exoepoxide and oxychlordane. Particular emphasis was placed upon the question
as to whether or not a correlation between the concentrations of these chiral
compounds and their enantiomeric ratios can be inferred, independent of the respective environmental milieu. In order to answer this question, samples from two
different German regions, Schleswig-Holstein and Baden-Württemberg, were investigated, where the concentrations of several contaminants, for example, α-HCH and
chlordane isomers, in liver tissue of roe-deer are of the same order of magnitude. The
roe-deer (Capreolus capreolus (L.)) from northern Germany was shot during the
hunting seasons 1992 and 1993 in the southern part of Schleswig-Holstein. The
roe-deer from the southern German state Baden-Württemberg was shot during the
hunting seasons 1989 and 1990. The liver samples were stored in a refrigerator at
about 248 K prior to sample preparation (Pfaffenberger et al. 1994a, b).
Eight liver samples of roe-deer from Schleswig-Holstein and nine liver samples
of roe-deer from the German state of Baden-Württemberg were analysed. In all eight
liver samples from Schleswig-Holstein, remarkably high concentrations of α-HCH
between 20 and 140 μg/kg fat were determined (Table 8.15). This phenomenon was
not observed for kindred animal species, for example, red-deer and fallow-deer. A
direct uptake of technical α-HCH is unlikely, because this would as well result in
increased β-HCH concentrations, which was not the case. One reason for the high αHCH concentrations could be an isomerisation of γ-HCH to α-HCH in the liver. But
this is hypothetical and could not be derived from the data set obtained by
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8 Enantiomer-Specific Fate and Behaviour of Chiral Contaminants
mussels (Mytilus edulis L.; ER between 0.67 and 0.89), flounder (Platychthys flesus
L.; ER 0.80–0.94), common Eider duck (Somateria mollissima (L.); liver: ER ¼
1.4–1; kidney: ER ¼ 1.6; muscle: ER ¼ 7.0), harbour seals (Phoca vitulina;
blubber: ER ¼ 1.2–4.5; brain ¼ 7.9–1). Möller et al. concluded that the enrichment
of the α-HCH enantiomers in sheep fat and liver tissues is different from those found
in the respective tissues of marine biota of high trophic levels, and they assumed that
the enzymatic transformation pathways in the livers of the terrestrial (sheep) and
marine animals (harbour seals) of higher trophic levels are markedly different.
However, it is worth noting that the occurrence of β-pentachlorocyclohexene in all
tissues compared in the study by Möller et al. indicated the usual transformation
mechanism, that is, trans-dehydrohalogenation of α-HCH.
The impact of harmful substances on game animals from various regions of the
northern German state Schleswig-Holstein and the southern German state BadenWürttemberg was investigated in the course of a long-term program. The studies
included different species of wild animals. Special emphasis was placed upon the
residue contents of organochlorine compounds in the muscle and liver tissues of
game animals. The residue contents of α-HCH in liver tissues for both regions
showed a surprising result. The roe-deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) livers exhibited
remarkably high α-HCH contents. Furthermore, high concentrations of chlordane
isomers had been detected in the liver samples. This is insofar noteworthy, as the
application of these compounds was banned in Germany as early as 1974.
In a follow-up study by Pfaffenberger et al. (1994a, b; Pfaffenberger 1995), liver
samples of roe-deer were analysed for their content of α-HCH, heptachlor
exoepoxide and oxychlordane. Particular emphasis was placed upon the question
as to whether or not a correlation between the concentrations of these chiral
compounds and their enantiomeric ratios can be inferred, independent of the respective environmental milieu. In order to answer this question, samples from two
different German regions, Schleswig-Holstein and Baden-Württemberg, were investigated, where the concentrations of several contaminants, for example, α-HCH and
chlordane isomers, in liver tissue of roe-deer are of the same order of magnitude. The
roe-deer (Capreolus capreolus (L.)) from northern Germany was shot during the
hunting seasons 1992 and 1993 in the southern part of Schleswig-Holstein. The
roe-deer from the southern German state Baden-Württemberg was shot during the
hunting seasons 1989 and 1990. The liver samples were stored in a refrigerator at
about 248 K prior to sample preparation (Pfaffenberger et al. 1994a, b).
Eight liver samples of roe-deer from Schleswig-Holstein and nine liver samples
of roe-deer from the German state of Baden-Württemberg were analysed. In all eight
liver samples from Schleswig-Holstein, remarkably high concentrations of α-HCH
between 20 and 140 μg/kg fat were determined (Table 8.15). This phenomenon was
not observed for kindred animal species, for example, red-deer and fallow-deer. A
direct uptake of technical α-HCH is unlikely, because this would as well result in
increased β-HCH concentrations, which was not the case. One reason for the high αHCH concentrations could be an isomerisation of γ-HCH to α-HCH in the liver. But
this is hypothetical and could not be derived from the data set obtained by
172
8 Enantiomer-Specific Fate and Behaviour of Chiral Contaminants