Tilapia larvae Aroclor 1254 exposure: effects on gonads and circulating thyroid hormones during adulthood

Aroclor 1254 a polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) mixture, when administrated through the diet, was previously found to inhibit adult tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reproduction. Since fish larvae can be more sensitive to contaminants, the objectives of this study were to evaluate in adults the impact in gonad development and in thyroid function of Aroclor 1254 administrated at larvae stages. Aroclor 1254 exposed tilapia presented both ovary and testicular alterations and a decline in T4 plasma concentration while T3 remained unaltered. This work shows exposure to Aroclor 1254 during tilapia early life stages causes a disruption of the reproductive axis that enables reproduction.