Levels and patterns of PCDD and PCDF contamination in fish, crabs, and lobsters from Newark Bay and the New York Bight

Abstract

Samples of striped bass, crabs and lobsters were collected in Newark Bay and the New York Bight. The fish muscle and the hepatopancreas and meat from the crabs were subjected to congener specific analysis. All samples were found to be contaminated by 2,3,7,8-tetraCDD and a series of other highly hazardous 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners as well as less hazardous PCDDs and PCDFs. A value exceeding 6000 ppt wet tissue weight of 2,3,7,8-tetraCDD was found in a sample of crab hepatopancreas, which seems to be the highest value so far reported in a food product. The crab meat, on the other hand, contained only 100 ppt. In general the crustaceans contained many congeners, while the fish samples contained only 2,3,7,8-substituted compounds. An unknown compound, possibly a tetrachlorodibenzothiophene, was the dominating peak in most of the crustacean samples.