Concentrations and hazard assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in shark liver from the Mediterranean Sea.
Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (DDTs), were determined in the liver of two different shark species Prionace glauca (blue shark) and Dalatias licha (kitefin shark) from the Mediterranean Sea. In blue shark liver, the concentrations of PCBs (2482 ngg(-1)) and DDTs (2392 ngg(-1)) were comparable, while in kitefin shark the hepatic concentrations of DDTs (4554 ngg(-1)) were significantly higher than those of PCBs (1827 ngg(-1)). Contamination levels differed between species, with kitefin shark showing consistently higher concentrations of DDTs, and blue shark higher levels of PCBs. Congener-specific PCB profiles, similar between the two species were dominated by the higher chlorinated congeners (hexachlorobiphenyls: 62.8-63.9%, penta-: 15.2-21.3%, hepta-: 13.4-14.5%) with most of the lower chlorinated congeners being absent or present at very low levels. In both species, the total 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenz-p-dioxin toxic equivalent (TEQs) concentrations (blue shark: 2.51 pg/g; kitefin shark: 1.46 pg/g) seem to be relatively modest. Regards to DDT component pattern, p,p'-DDE was dominant in the liver of both species (blue shark: 81.5%; kitefin shark: 38.0%), while the percentage composition of the other metabolites was differently characterized. The composition pattern of DDTs and the low value of p,p'-DDE/DDTs ratio in the specimens from Ionian Sea suggest that organochlorine pesticide contamination is still continuing in this marine environment.
Storelli
Maria Maddalena
MM
Pharmacological-Biological Department, Medicine Veterinary Faculty, University of Bari, Strada Prov. le per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano, BA, Italy.
Storelli
Arianna
A
Marcotrigiano
Giuseppe Onofrio
GO
D000818:Animals; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012754:Sharks / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls