Lidia Strandberg

Spatial distribution and bioaccumulation of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in mussel and fish from the Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea

Blue mussel, flounder, perch and lamprey from the Gulf of Gdansk accumulate many tetra- through hepta-CNs. Highest concentrations in fishes and lamprey are PCN congeners such as nos. 42, 52, 60, 61 and 69, which do not have vicinal (adjacent) carbon atoms unsubstituted with chlorine (NVC-Cl PCNs) and seem to be relatively resistant in the marine environment. In mussel, chloronaphthalenes such as nos. 3840, 33/34/37, 2843 and 47 dominate, i.e. the congeners, which have two or three vicinal carbon atoms unsubstituted with chlorine (DVC-Cl and TVC-Cl PCNs). PCNs with two vicinal carbon atoms unsubstituted with chlorine (DVC-Cl PCNs) are less abundant in fish and lamprey than NVC-Cl members, while those congeners with three (TVC-Cl PCNs) or four (QVC-Cl PCNs) vicinal carbon atoms unsubstituted are present as only minor compounds or are absent. Congener-specific data obtained using a non-destructive sample extraction and clean-up method coupled to HRGC-HRMS can be useful to explain potential species- or site-specific differences of the pollution pattern with PCNs. Most of the hexa-CNs, both hepta-CNs and some penta- and tetra-CNs show their high potency for bioaccumulation in flounder when related to mussel as their food.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their congener-specific accumulation in edible fish from the Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea.

Concentrations and composition profiles of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in composite samples of 10 species of edible fish from the Gulf of Gdańsk, in the southern part of the Baltic Sea, Poland, to understand the status of contamination and possible human exposure risk. Apart from the total PCBs, planar non-ortho (IUPAC nos 77, 126, 169) and mono-ortho (nos 105, 114, 118, 123, 156, 157, 167, 189) chlorobiphenyls were also quantified and their dioxin-like toxicity assessed. The absolute total PCB concentrations in fish ranged from 43 to 490 ng g-1 wet wt (910–11000 ng g-1 lipids), while of TCDD TEQs of planar members were from 0.15 to 3.1 pg g-1 wet wt (8.1–81 pg g-1 lipids). The penta- and hexa-CBs usually comprised 70–80% of the total PCBs and were followed by hepta-, tetra- and tri-CBs, and for a specific site tri- and tetra-CBs comprised as much as 22%. Among the individual CB congeners, nos 118, 153 (+132) and 138 (+160 +163 +164) were the most abundant, while no. 110 comprised between 6.8 and 9.3% of the total PCBs in some species. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to examine the interdependences among CB congeners in the factor space. The PCA model and cluster analyses were further used to examine site- and species-specific differences and similarities of PCB composition, and the results are discussed. An assessed daily intake rate of TCDD TEQ of planar PCBs with the fishmeal of the Gulf of Gdańsk in the 1990s was between 78 and 96 pg per capita or between 1.3 and 1.6 pg kg-1 body weight.

Concentrations and biomagnification of polychlorinated naphthalenes in black cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis from the Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea

Black cormorants, Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (the breast muscles and liver) originating from the colony near Katy Rybackie on the south coast of the Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea, were collected in 1992 and analysed for polychlorinated naphthalenes. PCNs were determined employing a multi-residue procedure including a non-destructive wide-bore open-tube extraction step, cleanup using semipermeable polyethylene membrane, HPLC fractionation of planar compounds on activated carbon column and final separation and identification and quantification with HRGC/HRMS. Tetra- to hepta-CNs were found in all samples examined, and penta- and next tetra-CNs were dominating homologue groups. Dominating members in the fingerprint of PCNs in black cormorants were 1,3,5,7-T4CN (no. 42); 1,2,3,5,7-/1,2,4,6,7-P5CN (no. 52/60); 1,2,4,6,8-P5CN (no. 61); 1,2,3,4,6,7-/1,2,3,5,6,7-H6CN (no. 66/67); 1,2,4,6-/1,2,4,7-/1,2,5,7-T4CN (no. 33/34); 1,2,4,5,7-P5CN (no. 58); and 1,2,4,7,8-P5CN (no. 62). When related to potential food items, black cormorants biomagnify in their body many PCNs and the congeners no. 42 and 66/67 show highest biomagnification factor (BMF) values.

Polychlorinated naphthalenes in three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus from the gulf of Gdańsk

Abstract The congener-specific data of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are presented for the three-spined stickleback collected from four spatially distant sites in the beach zone in the south-western part of the Gulf of Gdansk, Baltic Sea. The lipid weight normalised concentration of total PCNs in stickleback ranged from 35 to 130 ng/g. Tetra-CNs (54–64%) were a dominating chloronaphthalene homologue group in sticklebacks, followed by penta- (37–44%), hexa- (0.9–1.7%), and hepta-CNs (0.02- 52 60 ), 1,2,4,6-/1,2,4,7-/1,2,5,7-T4CN (Nos 33/34/37) and 1, 3, 5, 7-T4CN (No. 42) as a most contributing members, and also some compositional (%) differences. The patterns of tetra-, penta-, and hexa-CNs displayed compositional variations in a residue picture of those substances, depending on the sampling site, and implied on a specific point source of pollution, possibly due to the neighbourhood of shipyards and marine ports, as a cause o f the differences/similarities observed.

Concentrations and spatial distribution of chlordanes and some other cyclodiene pesticides in Baltic plankton

Twelve chlordane (CHLs) components and their metabolites (heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, U82, MC4, trans-chlordane, MC5, cis-chlordane, MC7, oxychlordane, MC6, trans- and cis-nonachlor) and aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, isodrin, endosulfan 1, endosulfan 2, and mirex were quantified in mixed subsurface phyto- and zooplankton collected at four spatially distant sites in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. The CHLs concentrations in plankton were low, i.e. 5.3, 8.7, 9.2 and 8.7 ng/g lipid in Gdansk Depth, Gotland Basin, Bornholm Basin and Pomeranian Bay, respectively. Chlordane compounds showed similar distributions and patterns in plankton at all four sampling sites. The trans-nonachlor to cis-chlordane ratio (N:C ratio) in plankton was between 0.76 and 1.0 which clearly indicates pollution from distant sources due to long-range aerial transport. The relatively high concentrations of heptachlor epoxide seem to be related to local sources of pollution around of the Baltic Sea. Dieldrin was the major cyclodiene pesticide quantified and its concentration was uniformly distributed in the plankton sampled and ranged from 23 to 42 ng/g lipid, while aldrin, endrin, isodrin, endosulfan 1, endosulfan 2 and mirex were undetected.