RESIN ACIDS IN BILE SAMPLES FROM FISH INHABITING MARINE WATERS AFFECTED BY PULP MILL EFFLUENTS

Cellulose production in Chile has increased noticeably during recent years. Some pulp mill currently released effluents into the ocean, a trend that most these plants seem likely to continue in the future. No standardized protocols exist for evaluating potential environmental effects of such dumping in the marine environment. Resin acids, typical components in cellulose effluents, are known to be highly toxic, particularly for fish. Few investigations have considered this matter for the south area of Golfo de Arauco, one of the most productive areas oil the planet in terms of fisheries. This area is currently subjected to effluent dumping from a kraft cellulose industry with secondary treatment. Resin acids are naturally present in conifer wood, making these compounds useful markers for exposure to this type of effluent. Herein, we report the presence of these compounds in bile from two fish species (Paralychtys adspersus and Paralychtys microps) caught in two seasons in the Bahia de Horcones at the southern mouth of Golfo de Arauco, central Chile, an area affected by cellulose effluent dumping. Dehydroabietic acid (17,5 ug/g in average) was found in the bile samples of the fish.