Biomagnification Study on Organochlorine Compounds in Marine Aquaculture:  The Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) as a Model

Abstract

Biomagnification of organochlorine compounds (pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls) through the marine aquaculture food chain is investigated. From first-feeding, specimens of sea bass were exposed to commercial fish feed (that contained DDTs and PCBs residues) for ca. 24 months, and selected tissues (white and red muscle, liver, and visceral fat) were analyzed after 6 and 24 months of diet exposure. Data obtained showed that experimental fish tissues presented a similar contamination pattern to that of fish feed, and biomagnification processes of these compounds were proved. Additionally, commercial sea bass cultured in farms from the western Mediterranean were analyzed, their organochlorine concentrations being significantly lower than those of the 24 month old experimental fish. Thus, the exposition of human population to OCs through consumption of cultured fish would be lower than expected from experimental biomagnification studies, although red muscle presented similar OC levels in both cases, which were much higher than those of white muscle. Although levels of organochlorine compounds were found to be low, the persistence, ubiquity, and toxicity of these compounds, together with their presence in fish feed, make it necessary to monitor OC residues in the routine quality assurance programs of aquaculture activities, as this food chain is a source of these toxic compounds for human consumers. The development of sensitive analytical methodology based on GC-MS/MS has allowed for the reaching of low detection limits required to carry out the present study.

Presence and distribution of PAHs, PCBs and DDE in feed and sediments under salmon aquaculture cages in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada

“…Levels previously reported for PCB 153 in salmon and sea-bass feed are within the feed results (51-53 ng g À1 , lipid). 8.4-23.8 ng g À1 , lipid, in Jacobs et al (2002); 17-35.8 ng g À1 , lipid, in Serrano et al (2003). The ratio of p,p 0 -DDE to p,p 0 -DDT was 6.5 in oil and lower in pellets, indicating most likely differing sources of pesticides in pellets than the actual oil analysed, or that other ingredients are contributing to the presence of these pesticides in pellets.…”

“…The health-related advantages of providing consumers with food rich in omega-3 fatty acids is well recognized (Castell, 1988). Few studies have determined the level of contaminants in aquaculture fish (Lung et al, 2003;Serrano et al, 2003;Hites et al, 2004; Danish Website Foedevaredirektoratet.dk/fdir/publications/2001018/rapport.txt) and these can be higher than in the wild. The farming of sea animals will only increase with time; therefore, levels of contaminants should be minimized to increase the value of this relatively anthropogenic link in the food chain.…”

The effect of organic and conventional production methods on sea bream growth, health and body composition: a field experiment

“…They concluded that the load of organochlorine pollutants in fish tissues is related to seasonal changes in the feeding behaviour of the species and their feeds (Serrano et al 2008). The fish diets stand out as an important source of organic persistent contaminants (Serrano et al 2003, Nácher-Mestre et al 2009). The distribution of the PCB congener in tissues of sea bass collected in two fish farms in Ria de Aveiro resembled that of fish fed a pelleted diet, suggesting that a commercial diet is a major source of PCBs (Antunes and Gil 2004).…”

Aquaculture feed contamination by persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, additives and drug residues

“…In farmed rainbow trout, the dietary retention of sum chlordane (cis-trans and oxychlordane) and sum toxaphene in the edible part of market-size fi sh was approximately 33 and 27%, respectively (Karl et al, 2002). In commercially reared sea bream (Dicentrarchus labrax) biomagnifi cation of DDTs and HCB from feed to muscle has been shown to occur (Serrano et al, 2003). In cultured Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), 15% of DDT and its metabolites are partitioned in muscle (Bayen et al, 2005).…”