Short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in aquatic foods from 18 Chinese provinces: Occurrence, spatial distributions, and risk assessment

Abstract

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are classed as persistent organic pollutants and were included in the Stockholm Convention in May 2017. Large amounts of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are produced in China than in any other countries. CPs can be released into the environment while being produced and used, and can bioaccumulate in aquatic biota and be ingested by humans. Dietary intake is the main route through which humans are exposed to CPs. It has previously been found that persistent organic pollutant concentrations are usually higher in aquatic foods than in other foods. The risk of human exposure to SCCPs in aquatic foods should therefore be of concerns. However, SCCP concentrations in aquatic foods have not been systematically studied. A total of 1620 aquatic food samples were collected, and 18 pooled samples were analyzed by two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with electron-capture negative-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The mean SCCP and MCCP concentrations were 1472 and 80.5ng/gwet weight, respectively. The dominant SCCP and MCCP congener groups were C10Cl6–7 and C14Cl7–8, respectively. The concentrations were much higher than those have been found in aquatic foods in other countries. The CP concentrations in the samples consumed by local people from eastern and southern China were higher than the concentrations in samples from central and western China. Risk assessment results indicated that SCCPs and MCCPs in aquatic foods do not pose significant risks to residents of China.