Level Distributions Of The Persistent Organic Pollutants In Different Species Of Marine Fish Of Bohai Bay, China

Marine pollution has caused a grave exposure to the environment in China over the past years. Due to the needs of economic growth and the power plants, sewage systems caused some unreasonable pollutant discharge to the environment. A large amount of contaminants influx into the sea and eventually lead to the coastal marine ecosystem get worse and worse. In recent years, global pubic concern over accumulation of pollutants in marine ecosystem has increased bacause it would not only threaten life themselves seriously, but also lead to adverse health effects to population considering seafood consumption is an important route of human exposure to environmental contaminants. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the current levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, polychlorinated naphthalenes, polybrominated diphenyl ethers in different species of marine fish, Bohai Bay. At the same time, in order to guarantee the food safety and human health, the potential health risks derived from the exposure to these contaminants for the general population were also assessed.In this paper, we present the concentrations and distributions of PCBs, PCDD/Fs, PCNs and PBDEs found in different fish species collected in Bohai Bay. In addition, the bioaccumulation and health risk caused by the organic pollutants were assessed, the results were as follows:The concentrations of PCBs that found in the samples of different marine fish species ranged from 202.5 pg/g ww to 8856.2 pg/g ww. The highest PCBs was found in stickleback, the lowest concentration was found in catfish. The main contributor to dioxin-like PCBs were PCB-118 and PCB-105, PCB-153 and PCB-138 were the major contributor to indicator PCBs. PCBs was biomagnification obviously in different fish. The mean dietary intake of PCBs in fish from Bohai Bay by local inhabitants was estimated, the human exposure hazard was small, which lower than the value set by the World Health Organization.The concentrations of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs that found in the samples of different marine fish species ranged from 2.61 pg/g ww to 25.98 pg/g ww. The highest Σ2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs was found in flounder, the lowest concentration was found in perch.The main contributors to theΣ2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs in the samples were OCDF, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-Hp CDF and OCDD. The WHO-TEQs of PCDD/Fs in the samples were 0.25 pg/g ww-2.39 pg/g ww, the WHO-TEQs was lower than other research at home and abroad. The consumption of the fish species that were analyzed does not pose a risk to human health from PCDD/Fs.The concentrations of PCNs different in the samples of different marine fish species,which ranged from 2.61 pg/g ww to 25.98 pg/g ww. The highest PCNs was found in mackerel, the lowest was found in catfish. The distribution of PCNs is similar in different fish, the Di CNs and Tr CNs were the important contributor to the PCN congeners, the Te CNs and Pe CNs were the major contributor to the high chlorinated PCN congeners. The TEQs of PCNs in the samples were 0.00054 pg/g ww-0.038 pg/g ww, which was lower than other studies. The dietary intake of PCNs in Bohai Bay was similar to other research. The consumption of the fish species that were analyzed does not pose a risk to human health from PCNs.Although PBDEs were detected in all of the samples, and the concentrations were 272.44 pg/g ww-2313.12 pg/g ww. The highest detection was found in yellow croaker, and the lowest detection was found in flounder. It maybe relation to the living habits, ingestion and the content of fat. BDE-47 and BDE-99 were the predominant congeners in both species, accounting for more than 50% of the total PBDEconcentrations. However, BDE-183 was the lowest detected in all samples. The reasons for the relatively low proportion of BDE-183 may be due to the debromination, and converted to BDE-153 or BDE-154. The mean dietary intake of PBDEs in fish from Bohai Bay by local inhabitants was estimated, the human exposure hazard was small compared to other research.Overall, this study introduced the current contaminants levels in marine fish from China and provided a preliminary health risk of these pollutants to human consumers via dietary fish consumption in Chinese coastal cities. Although, the risks by these pollutants were not notable, it is necessary to monitor these pollutants in the coastal marine ecosystem continuously. Moreover, some actions need to be taken to provide advisory consumption recommendation according to the content of the pollutants in different fish.