Decreased Viability and Changes in Sex Ratio in the Offspring of Danio rerio as a Result of Exposure to 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 52) on Producers during the Prespawning Period

The results of studies of the impact of 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 52) on the body of the freshwater fish Danio rerio (Hamilton, 1822) in the period preceding spawning are presented. During this experiment, it is established that exposure to PCB 52 for both males and females leads to the increased mortality of offspring in the early stages of development. It is noticeably predominant in groups in which only male parents are exposed to harmful effects. Shifts in the sex ratio in groups among the surviving offspring with a predominance of females compared to the control also turn out to be significant. This effect is more pronounced in offspring groups in which only female parents are exposed. After measuring PCB 52 concentrations in parent animals using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, it is found that the PCB 52 content in females is almost twice as high as in males. It is concluded that a decreased viability and an imbalance in the sex ratio in the offspring has a pronounced sex dependence when exposed to PCB 52 on the body of the animal parents.