Polychlorinated biphenyl residues in deep-sea fish from Mediterranean Sea

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 30; no. 3; pp. 343 - 349
• Main Authors: Storelli, M.M., Storelli, A., D'Addabbo, R., Barone, G., Marcotrigiano, G.O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Ghostsharks; Marine; Mediterranean Sea; PCB congeners; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - pharmacokinetics; Sharks; Skates; Skates (Fish); TEQs; Tissue Distribution; Mediterranean Sea; MED, Western Mediterranean; Skates; Ghostsharks; TEQs; PCB congeners; Fauna; Deep water; Polychlorobiphenyl; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Organochlorine compounds; Residue; Chlorocarbon; Pisces; Toxic equivalency factor; Raja clavata; Chondrichthyes; Biological accumulation
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2003.07.002

Polychlorinated biphenyls including coplanar congeners were measured in the liver of different species of skates and ghostsharks . The mean concentrations of PCBs in skates (314 ng/g wet wt) were comparable with those in ghostsharks (285 ng/g wet wt). The specific analysis of PCB congeners in skates hepatic tissue revealed a profile dominated by hexa-, penta-, and heptachlorinated congeners followed by trichlorobiphenyls, tetra- and decachlorobiphenyls. A different profile dominated by hexa-, tri-, and pentachlorinated congeners, followed by heptachlorobiphenyl and decachlorobiphenyls was found in ghostsharks liver. The estimated 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) of coplanar PCBs in skates and ghostsharks were 0.48 and 0.33 pg/g wet weight, respectively, with mono- ortho congeners PCB105, 118 and 156 contributing more than 90% to the TEQs.