Dietary intake of organochlorine pesticides through fish from bulgarian black sea coast

Abstract

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to estimate the dietary intake (EDI) of organochlorine pesticides (DDT and its metabolite) through consumption of fish in Bulgaria. The potential health risk was assessed based on the dietary intake of DDTs through fish consumption. METHODS: DDT and its two main metabolites DDE and DDD were determined in muscle tissue of six fish species widely consumed by the population of Bulgaria: goby (Neogobius melanostomus), sprat (Sprattus sprattus), grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), horse mackerel (Trachurus Mediterraneus ponticus), shad (Alosa pontica pontica) and bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). Samples were collected from Black Sea coast of Bulgaria during 2007 -2011. The DDT and its metabolites were determined by capillary gas chromatography system with mass spectrometry detection. RESULTS: The levels of the Total DDTs (sum of DDT, DDE and DDD) ranged from 18.5±8.3 to 200.2±41.9 ng/g wet weight (in goby and shad, respectively). The mean EDI of DDTs in fish from Black Sea was calculated between 3.5±1.6 and 37.8±7.9 ng/kg body weight/ day through consumption of goby and shad, respectively. The health risk was assessed using a risk quotient (RQ) of the fish consumption as the ratio of daily fish exposure level (EDI) in relation to oral reference dose. CONCLUSIONS: The estimated dietary intake of DDTs through marine fish for the Bulgarian consumer does not pose a health risk.