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Polychlorinated n-alkanes (PCAs), also known as chlorinated paraffins, are a class of high molecular weight organochlorines (OCs) used as high pressure lubricants, flame retardants and a number of other industrial applications. Reviews of information available on PCAs have concluded that there is a lack of data to assess their fate and effects in the environment. This work has examined the dietary accumulation, sediment bioavailability and toxicity of a range of PCAs which vary in carbon chain length and chlorine content. PCAs (C$\sb{10}$-, C$\sb{11}$-, C$\sb{12}$-, C$\sb{14}$- and C$\sb{16}$) were accumulated from food by juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). PCA half lives (t$\sb{1/2}$, range 7.1-87 d) and biomagnification factors (BMFs) (0.14-2.2) increased with carbon chain length and chlorine content. PCAs were biotransformed but the biotransformation rate was inversely related to chlorine content. Highly chlorinated ($>$60% Cl) short chain (C$\sb{10{-}13}$) and medium and lower chlorinated ($$1 for the C$\sb{16}$-PCAs and the lower chlorinated C$\sb{16}$-PCA (35% Cl), but |
