Investigation of Selected Persistent Organic Pollutants in Farmed Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), Salmon Aquaculture Feed, and Fish Oil Components of the Feed

Abstract

There is extensive literature documenting the bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in the marine environment, but relatively little data are available on contamination pathways in aquaculture systems such as that for farmed salmon. In recent years,the salmon industry has grown significantly in Europe. This study reports on the determination of a wide range of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in farmed and wild European Atlantic salmon fish, aquaculture feeds, and fish oils used to supplement the feeds. The study confirms previous reports of relatively high concentrations of PCBs and indicates moderate concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PBDEs in farmed Scottish and European salmon. Concentrations of the selected persistent organic pollutants varied among the samples: PCBs (salmon, 145-460 ng/g lipid; salmon feeds, 76-1153 ng/g lipid; fish oils, 9-253 ng/g lipid), S DDTs (salmon, 5-250 ng/g lipid; salmon feeds, 34-52 ng/g lipid; fish oils, 11-218 ng/g lipid), and PBDEs (salmon, 1-85 ng/g lipid: salmon feeds, 8-24 ng/g lipid; fish oils, ND-13 ng/g lipid). Comparison of the samples for all groups of contaminants, except for HCHs, showed an increase in concentration in the order fish oil < feed < salmon. Homologue profiles were similar, with an increase in contribution of hepta- and octa-PCBs in the fish, and profiles of DDTs were similar in all three types of samples. With a constant contribution to the total PCB content, the ICES 7 PCBs appear to be reliable predictors of the PCB contamination profile through all the samples. For PBDEs, BDE 47 dominated the profiles, with no significant difference in the PBDE profiles for the three matrixes. Samples with higher PCB contents generally showed higher levels of the pesticide residues, but this was not the case with the PBDEs, indicating the existence of different pollution sources.

Exposure of Americans to polybrominated diphenyl ethers

“…Other retail market surveys showed similar results, such as one in California showing a range of 0.04-4.9 ng/g wwt in fish (Luksemburg et al, 2004), or one in Canada including 122 fish and shellfish showing a range of 0.02 ng/g (in shrimp) to 1.6 ng/g wwt (in trout; Tittlemeier et al, 2004). Other data on farmed fish (Jacobs et al, 2002;Hites et al, 2004;Shaw et al, 2005) and retail fish from abroad (Ohta et al, 2002;Pirard et al, 2005) similarly showed concentrations mostly below 10 ng/g wwt and near the mean value of 1.09 ng/g wwt measured by Schecter et al (2006a).…”

The Kuril Islands as a Potential Region for Aquaculture: Organochlorine Pesticides in Pink and Chum Salmon

“…Pesticides content in organs of these fish is strictly controlled; nevertheless, pollution of its habitat causes toxicants to accumulate in aquaculture objects [16]. The major attention is paid to fish muscles (fillet), as these organs are most frequently used as item of diet and in food industry (Figures 2 and 3).…”

Analysis of persistent halogenated hydrocarbons in fish feeds containing fish oil and other alternative lipid sources

“…The MDLs for DDT, CB-52, CB-101, and CB-153 (10.0, 5.4, 7.1 and 5.1 ng/g dw, respectively) were higher than 5 ng/g dw and the higher MDLs possibly resulted from trace amounts of the native compounds in the blank FO. Previous studies [4,5,[28][29][30]40,41] reported the existence of trace PHHs in fish oils. Nácher-Mestre et al [28] reported PCBs and DDTs existed in fish oil at concentrations of 0.6-6.5 and 8.8-16.8 ng/g fresh weight, respectively.…”

“…Unfortunately, persistent halogenated hydrocarbons (PHHs) including organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are also associated with fish (particularly oily fish) because of their hydrophobicity. As a result, bioaccumulation of those harmful contaminants may occur in humans through fish consumption intended to increase intake of healthy n-3 LC-PUFA [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11].…”