Persistent Halogenated Hydrocarbons in Consumer Fish of China: Regional and Global Implications for Human Exposure

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. 1821 - 1827
• Main Authors: Meng, Xiang-Zhou, Zeng, Eddy Y, Yu, Li-Ping, Mai, Bi-Xian, Luo, Xiao-Jun, Ran, Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.03.2007
• Subjects: Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Aquaculture - standards; Aquaculture - trends; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Chemicals; China; Consumption; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Monitoring - standards; Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Fish; Fishes - metabolism; Food Contamination; Food toxicology; Freshwater; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Health risk assessment; Human exposure; Hydrocarbons; Hydrocarbons, Halogenated - analysis; Lipids - analysis; Marine; Medical sciences; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Assessment; Species Specificity; Toxicology; Asia; China; USA; Korea, Rep; China, People's Rep; INW, Japan; Human; Edible fish; Pollutant behavior; Pesticides; Flame retardant; HCH; Polychlorobiphenyl; Concentration measurement; Persistent organic pollutant; Aquatic environment; Vertebrata; Fishery; Halogenated hydrocarbon; Health and environment; Organochlorine compounds; Food intake; DDT; Pisces; Pisciculture; Health hazards; Bromine Organic compounds; Public health; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es062251z

Concentrations of persistent halogenated hydrocarbons (PHHs) were determined in 13 consumer fish species (a total of 390 individuals) collected from a major fish-farming region of China. The potential health risks of PHHs associated with consumption of fish from China was also systematically assessed regionally and globally. In all fish samples, DDTs, HCHs, PCBs, and PBDEs were the predominant PHH residues, with the median levels (ranges) being 6.0 (0.14−698.9), 0.50 (0.13−24.06), 0.10 (<0.02−7.65), and 0.15 (<0.0012−3.85) ng/g wet weight, respectively. The upper-bound (90th percentile) values of estimated daily intakes of DDT, HCHs, PCBs, and PBDEs via fish consumption were 45.5, 1.35, 0.46, and 0.30 ng/kg bw/d (urban), and 15.9, 0.47, 0.16, and 0.10 ng/kg bw/d (rural). Globally, the upper-bound outflows via fishery exportation of DDT, HCHs, PCBs, and PBDEs were 185, 5.51, 1.86, and 1.22 kg, respectively, in 2005. Japan was the largest recipient of PHHs, followed by Korea and the United States. Fish consumption assessments indicated that consumption of freshwater farmed and wild marine fish generally does not subject consumers to significant health risk as far as PHHs are concerned, while limited consumption of seawater farmed fish is advised.