Differential biomagnification of PCB, PBDE, Hg and Radiocesium in the food web of the European hake from the NW Mediterranean

Abstract

Consumption of marine organisms represents one of the main exposure sources of contaminants for human populations. To obtain a global view of the contamination in commercial fish in the NW Mediterranean Sea, we analysed four types of priority contaminants (PCBs, PBDEs, Hg and (137)Cs) in the European hake, Merluccius merluccius, from the Gulf of Lions in relation with organism's trophic level (δ(15)N). All contaminants presented a significant increase in concentration in hake muscle with trophic level. However, obvious differences between contaminants were evidenced. Biomagnification factors (BMF and FWMF) along the hake food web were higher for Hg and CB-153 than for BDE-47 and (137)Cs, and increase in contaminant concentration with trophic level occurred at different rates depending on contaminants. Such differences of biomagnification patterns can be related to physico-chemical properties of the different contaminants.

Exposure of general population to PBDEs: A Progressive Total Diet Study in South Korea

“…Previously, a market basket study in South Korea on raw foods (Na et al, 2013) also reported a similar outcome with some differences in shellfishes. Because PBDEs are prone to bioaccumulation and biomagnification, the trophic levels of each species and their fat content is widely believed to largely affect the PBDE concentrations (Harmelin-Vivien et al, 2012;Hu et al, 2010;Sørmo et al, 2011;Zhang et al, 2010). These trends were also reflected in our study.…”

Fukushima Daiichi–Derived Radionuclides in the Ocean: Transport, Fate, and Impacts

“…This is a moderately low value compared with those of some other elements (e.g., iron and tin, which can have concentration factors as high as 3 × 10 4 and 5 × 10 5 , respectively) and other contaminants [e.g., mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)] (Harmelin-Vivien et al 2012). Cs also has a limited biomagnification in marine food chains (only a factor of approximately 2) (Kasamatsu 1997, Zhao et al 2001, Heldal et al 2003, Mathews & Fisher 2008, Harmelin-Vivien et al 2012.…”

Ecosystem model-based approach for modeling the dynamics of <sup>137</sup>Cs transfer to marine plankton populations: application to the western North Pacific Ocean after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident

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