Halogenated Contaminants in Farmed Salmon, Trout, Tilapia, Pangasius, and Shrimp

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-p-furans (PCDD/Fs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane diastereomers (HBCDs), and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were analyzed in popular farmed fish such as salmon, trout, tilapia, and pangasius and in farmed shrimp. The samples originated from southeast Asia, Europe, and South America. Results show the following: (i) Carnivorous species contained higher contaminant concentrations than omnivorous species. (ii) Contaminant concentrations generally decreased per species in the following order of salmon > trout >> tilapia approximately equal to pangasius approximately equal to shrimp. (iii) Most contaminant concentrations decreased in the following order of PCBs approximately equal to dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs) >> hexachlorobenzene approximately equal to pentachlorobenzene approximately equal to dieldrin approximately equal to PBDEs approximately equal to alpha-HBCD approximately equal to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) >> World Health Organization toxic equivalents (WHO-TEQ) [PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like (dl)-PCBs]. (iv) Contaminant concentrations were very low (mostly <1 ng/g wet weight) and far below the European and Dutch legislative limits. (v) Contaminant concentrations in farmed shrimp, pangasius, and tilapia were lower than those in wild fish, whereas contaminant concentrations in farmed salmon and trout were higher than those in lean wild marine fish. From the five species investigated, salmon is predominantly responsible (97%) for human exposure to the sum of the investigated contaminants. The contribution of trout, tilapia, pangasius, and shrimp is small (3%) because contaminant concentrations and consumption volumes were much lower.

Characterisation of human exposure pathways to perfluorinated compounds — Comparing exposure estimates with biomarkers of exposure

“…Berger et al 2009;Clarke et al 2010;Del Gobbo et al 2008;D'Hollander et al 2010a;Ericson et al 2008;Jogsten et al 2009;Mak et al 2009;Nania et al 2009;Ostertag et al 2009a;Tittlemier et al 2007;van Leeuwen et al 2009). Factors that could explain differences among studies could be geographical as well as temporal differences in use of PFC containing products, analytical methodology and sensitivity in the measurements of PFCs in food.…”

Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate in Liver and Muscle Tissue from Wild Boar in Hesse, Germany

“…2011]) in 2009. PFOA and PFOS have previously been detected in various animal matrices (e.g., Fair et al 2010;Meyer et al 2009;O'Connell et al 2010;Schuetze et al 2010;Van Leeuwen et al 2009;Yeung et al 2009), and it therefore appeared possible that the consumption of wild boar meat could result in increased exposure of PFOA/PFOS in humans especially because PFCs have previously been detected in human matrices as the last link in diverse food chains (Haug et al 2009;Hoelzer et al 2009;Kärrman et al 2010;Wilhelm et al 2009;Zhang et al 2010).…”

Whitefish wars: Pangasius, politics and consumer confusion in Europe

“…Independent European laboratories have also screened pangasius for various contaminants and found levels to be extremely low. One Dutch assessment found concentrations of a range of halogenated contaminants in pangasius to be lower than those in wild fish and trout and salmon farmed in the EU, with the latter species deemed responsible for (97%) human exposure to the sum of the contaminants investigated [35]. A separate Italian study reported the quality of samples analysed to be 'good', and well within the normal range found for fish sourced in Europe [36].…”