Concentrations and hazard assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in shark liver from the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

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 ng g −1) and DDTs (2392 ng g −1) were comparable, while in kitefin shark the hepatic concentrations of DDTs (4554 ng g −1) were significantly higher than those of PCBs (1827 ng g −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.