The use of muscle burden in rabbitfish Siganus oramin for monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong and potential human health risk

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 407; no. 14; pp. 4327 - 4332
• Main Authors: Fang, James K.H., Wu, Rudolf S.S., Zheng, Gene J., Au, Doris W.T., Lam, Paul K.S., Shin, Paul K.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.07.2009; [Amsterdam; New York]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Monitoring; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hong Kong; Humans; Marine; Medical sciences; Muscles - chemistry; Perciformes; Persistent organic pollutants; Pollution monitoring; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polycyclic Compounds - analysis; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Siganus oramin; Southeast Asia; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; South east Asia; Hong Kong; Asia; China; Victoria; Australia; Oceania; China, People's Rep., Hong Kong, Hong Kong I., Victoria Harbour; ISEW, China, People's Rep., Hong Kong, Hong Kong I., Victoria Harbour; China, People's Rep., Hong Kong; Pollution monitoring; Siganus oramin; Southeast Asia; Persistent organic pollutants; Human; Harbor; Polychlorobiphenyls; Harbor zone; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Persistent organic pollutant; Vertebrata; Pollution; Health and environment; Surveillance; Pisces; Chlorine Organic compounds; Chlorocarbon; Health hazards; Muscle; Public health; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.03.033

Muscle concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in rabbitfish Siganus oramin collected from Victoria Harbour and its vicinity, Hong Kong from 2004 to 2007. Spatially, relatively higher levels of ∑PAH (1.05–4.26 μg g − 1 ) and ∑PCB (45.1–76.9 ng g − 1 ) were determined in the central and western sites inside the harbour. Temporally, upward trend of ∑PAH, accompanied with a proportion shift from high molecular weight to low molecular weight PAHs, was detected during the three-year study period, suggesting a heavier marine traffic in Victoria Harbour and its western region. However, human health risk assessment based on five individual PAHs indicated that PAHs in fish muscles posed minimal health risk through consumption. In contrast, a downward trend of ∑PCB was registered as the open use of PCBs has been banned. Despite this, the level of ∑PCB in fish muscles still posed a health risk on the local people who have a high fish consumption rate. While seasonal influences on ∑PAH/∑PCB accumulation in S. oramin seemed to be negligible, our findings in S. oramin were in line with the established PAH and PCB levels in sediments and/or mussels from the harbour, suggesting S. oramin can be used as a model fish species for monitoring PAHs and PCBs in the region.