Neurological and cardiotoxic effects of Aroclor 1254 to embryonically exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Legacy use and current release of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the environment through the improper disposal of products containing PCBs, building sealants, and paint production processes is of increasing concern to aquatic organisms. Particularly, PCBs that are largely comprised of dioxin-like congeners, such as Arochlor 1254, have been reported to induce morphological, cardiotoxic, and vision-induced toxicity. To better characterize the neurotoxic and cardiotoxic effect of Aroclor 1254 to early life stage fish, zebrafish were embryonically treated with previously identified concentrations of Arochlor 1254 detected in environmental samples until 96 hours post fertilization. Larvae were assessed for transcriptomic alterations following treatment, with molecular-level changes related to downstream morphological, physiological, and behavioral-level endpoints.