title: Organochlorine and organobromine compounds in a benthic fish (Solea solea) from Bizerte Lagoon (northern Tunisia): implications for human exposure.
abstract: Information on the occurrence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish from Tunisia is scarce. In this study, thirty one persistent organic pollutants including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) (dichlorodihenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB)), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) were determined in solea solea muscle, from Bizerte Lagoon (northern Tunisia) and from the Mediterranean Sea (reference area) (northern Mediterranean). In the Bizerte Lagoon, contaminant concentrations generally followed this order: PCBs>DDTs>PBDEs>MeO-PBDEs>HCB>HCHs; while in the Mediterranean Sea, pollutant concentration followed this order: MeO-PBDEs>PCBs>DDTs>PBDEs>HCB>HCHs. Mean levels of organochlorine compounds were 1018 and 380 ng g(-1) lipid weight (lw) in fish from Bizerte Lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea, respectively. Mean concentrations of organobromine compounds were 279 and 301 ng g(-1) lw in sole from Bizerte Lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea, respectively. Organohalogen concentrations in fish from Bizerte Lagoon were similar or slightly lower than those reported for other marine fish species from other locations around the world. PCB, HCH, HCB and PBDE levels were negatively correlated with lipid content, while no such correlation was seen for DDTs. Assessment based on several available guidelines suggested an insignificant human health risk for dietary intake of HCB, lindane and PBDEs associated with consumption of sole. However, the estimated lifetime cancer risk from dietary exposure to DDTs and PCBs is a potential concern.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (05/UR/12-03), University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences, Bizerte 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia. benameuroualid@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ben Ameur
authors.forename: Yassine
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: El Megdiche
authors.forename: Ethel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eljarrat
authors.forename: Sihem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Hassine
authors.forename: Barhoumi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badreddine
authors.forename: Trabelsi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Souad
authors.forename: Hammami
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bèchir
authors.forename: Damia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barceló
authors.forename: Mohamed Ridha
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Driss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017605:Bromine Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D020387:Food Chain; D059022:Food Safety; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014416:Tunisia; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017605:Bromine Compounds; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical