Organotropism of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in the Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus in NE Greenland

Abstract

The Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus is an opportunistic feeder, a top predator, and a very long-lived species. The brain, liver, red and white muscle, gonads, fat, skin, pancreas, and spleen of Greenland sharks from NE Greenland fjords were analysed for PCBs, PCDDs/DFs, PBDEs; DDT isomers; HCH isomers; dieldrin; endrin; HCB; Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se.PCBs (2.01–103ng/gwetwt) and PBDEs (7.9–3050pg/gwetwt) were detected in most of the samples. PCDDs/DFs showed high values when detected. DDTs, HCB and HCHs were only detected in some tissues. The ΣTEQ was 5.76pg/g in muscle.Cadmium mainly accumulated in the pancreas and liver (19.6 and 10.7mg/kgdrywt, respectively); mercury in red muscle (4.10–6.91mg/kgdrywt); selenium in the pancreas (3.57mg/kgdrywt) and spleen (1.95mg/kgdrywt); lead in the skin (0.358mg/kgdrywt). The selenium-mercury ratio in the liver was also evaluated.