title: Large scale distribution of dioxins, PCBs, heavy metals, PAH-metabolites and radionuclides in cod (Gadus morhua) from the North Atlantic and its adjacent seas.
abstract: Regarding cod as sea food for human consumption and as bio indicator of the marine eco system, this study is the first approach to combine the analysis of organic and inorganic contaminants and radionuclides in cod muscle as well as PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in its livers from the same fishing areas. Concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene, PCDD/Fs, PCBs, cesium-137 (Cs-137), cadmium and lead were determined in individual or pooled samples over a wide geographic area, including Greenland Seas, Barents Sea, North and Baltic Sea. Highest concentrations were found in samples from the Baltic Sea, lowest in the pristine areas of the Barents Sea and Greenland. Levels of contaminants in cod muscle were found to be far below the established EU maximum levels (ML), regardless of which fishing grounds. In contrast to this, most cod liver samples from the North and Baltic Sea showed PCDD/F and PCB contents exceeding the ML. In addition, new background assessment criteria (BAC) for 1-hydroxypyrene in cod of 4.6 ng mL(-1) bile and for Cs-137 a BAC of 0.16 Bq kg(-1) wet weight are proposed to be included in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive for cod from the Northeast Atlantic.
authors.affiliation: Max Rubner - Institut, Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Food, Department of Safety and Quality of Milk and Fish Products, Palmaille 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: Horst.Karl@mri.bund.de.
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karl
authors.affiliation: Thünen-Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Palmaille 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kammann
authors.affiliation: Thünen-Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Palmaille 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc-Oliver
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Aust
authors.affiliation: Max Rubner - Institut, Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Food, Department of Safety and Quality of Milk and Fish Products, Palmaille 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manthey-Karl
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, National Reference Laboratory for Dioxins and PCBs in Food and Feed, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lüth
authors.affiliation: Thünen-Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Palmaille 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kanisch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D001454:Baltic States; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005399:Fishes; D048389:Gadus morhua / Q000378:metabolism*; D006116:Greenland; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011721:Pyrenes; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D004147:Dioxins; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011721:Pyrenes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene
keywords: 1-Hydroxypyrene; Cd; Cod liver; Cod muscle; Cs-137; Pb; Spatial distribution; dl-PCBs