Organochlorine pesticide residues in European sardine, horse mackerel and Atlantic mackerel from Portugal

Abstract

This paper reports the results for the surveillance of nine organochlorine pesticides (HCH isomers (α, β, e, γ), p,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDD, HCB and aldrin) in muscle of three fish species, European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) and Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus). Analytical methodology included n-hexane extraction, clean-up with 2% deactivated Florisil, and quantification with gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD). The highest mean concentrations were found for p,p′-DDT in sardine and mackerel at levels of 30.1 and 109.9 µg kg−1, respectively, and for p,p′-DDD in horse mackerel at 51.9 µg kg−1. Three species had higher levels for Σ-DDT than Σ-HCH. The estimated daily intake of organochlorine pesticides in the three species showed that in sardine, the highest EDIs were found for aldrin, at 1.8 ng kg−1 bw day−1, which represents 1.8% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI), and for β-HCH, at 4.0 ng kg−1 bw day−1, representing 0.4% of ADI. Lowest values were found for Atlantic mackerel. Statistical analysis to determine the differences in mean concentrations of pesticides between species, and any correlation between groups of residues related with each one of the species, was undertaken.