Temporal trends of contaminants in cod from Icelandic waters.
Contaminants have been analyzed in cod (Gadus morhua) since 1990 as part of the national monitoring program for the environmental conditions in the sea around Iceland. The aim of this study was to determine the temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants (POPs: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (p,p'-DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), chlordanes (CHLs) and toxaphenes (Tox)) and trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se and Zn) in cod over the last two decades at two different locations in the Arctic Ocean north of Iceland. The relationship between the contaminant concentrations and biological covariates was also determined. All of the POPs showed decreasing trends but the trace elements showed no clear signs of trend except arsenic which showed an increasing trend and zinc which showed a decreasing trend. The concentration of the POPs were lower or similar in the Icelandic cod compared to cod sampled in Norway, the Barents Sea and in the Baltic Sea, except for HCB which was higher in the Icelandic cod compared to the Norwegian cod. The concentration of the trace elements As, Cu, Hg and Zn were similar in the Icelandic cod compared to cod sampled in Norway and Greenland but the concentration of Cd was higher in the Icelandic cod. The inclusion of the biological covariates was found to be important for the statistical analysis. The POPs had a positive relationship with liver fat content but negative relationship with liver weight. The trace elements had a negative relationship with liver fat and liver weight except As which had positive relationship with liver weight. Only positive relationships were observed between the contaminant concentrations and length.
Science Institute, University of Iceland, Taeknigardur, Dunhagi 5, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland; Matís Ltd., Vínlandsleið 12, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland. Electronic address: erlas@matis.is.
Erla
E
Sturludottir
Matís Ltd., Vínlandsleið 12, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland.
Helga
H
Gunnlaugsdottir
Matís Ltd., Vínlandsleið 12, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland.
Hronn O
HO
Jorundsdottir
Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Iceland, Hofsvallagata 53, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland.
Elin V
EV
Magnusdottir
Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Iceland, Hofsvallagata 53, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland.
Kristin
K
Olafsdottir
Science Institute, University of Iceland, Taeknigardur, Dunhagi 5, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland.
Gunnar
G
Stefansson
D000818:Animals; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D048389:Gadus morhua / Q000378:metabolism*; D007055:Iceland; D010575:Pesticides / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D010575:Pesticides; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Cod; Contaminants; Metals; Persistent organic pollutants; Trends