title: Characterization of organochlorine pesticides, brominated flame retardants and dioxin-like compounds in shellfish and eel from Fiji.
abstract: This article gives an overview of a range of persistent organic pollutant chemical levels in shellfish (Batissa violacea and Anadara antiquata) species and eel (Gymnothorax flavimarginatus) from Fiji. As there is limited data in published literature to date, this paper reports first data on a range of persistent organic pollutants and highlights the more prominent POP chemicals present in marine biota in Fiji. A significant number of POP chemicals were detected (e.g. 17 PCDD/PCDF, 12dl-PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and brominated flame retardants), the concentrations found were generally low (e.g. parts per billion level). The low levels of contamination are indicative of a low input from long range and short-range transport as well as few local point sources. Also concentrations of POPs in eel and shellfish from Fiji are low in comparison to wild species in other regions and are within acceptable limits for POP chemicals in fish and fishery products set by the European Union. It describes also results of early studies on basic POPs levels in shellfish in several Pacific Island Countries, which generally show relatively low levels.
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: vincent.vishant.lal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lal
authors.affiliation: AsureQuality Laboratory, 1c Quadrant Drive, Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt 5010, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bridgen
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Sciences, Fiji National University, Jerusalem Road, Suva, Fiji.
authors.forename: Waisea
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Votadroka
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Sciences, Fiji National University, Jerusalem Road, Suva, Fiji.
authors.forename: Rupantri
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aalbersberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004147:Dioxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004524:Eels / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005367:Fiji; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000378:metabolism*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000378:metabolism*; D008974:Mollusca / Q000378:metabolism*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000378:metabolism*; D012758:Shellfish / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D005411:Flame Retardants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Eel; PBDEs, PCDDs, PCDFs, Pacific; POPs; Shellfish; UNEP; United Nations Environment Programme