Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Fish Consumed by the Indigenous Peoples from Nenets Autonomous Okrug

Abstract

Currently, monitoring of persistent organic pollutant (POP) content in various biological and environmental matrixes in the Arctic is an urgent task. The present study focused on the determination of POPs such as: PCB#28, PCB#52, PCB#101, PCB#105, PCB#118, PCB#123, PCB#153, PCB#128, p,p’-DDE, o,p’-DDE, p,p’-DDD, o,p’-DDD, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), cis-nonachlor, trans-nonachlor, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, mirex, 1,2,3,5-tetrachlorobenzene and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene in fish consumed by the indigenous people of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) of the Russian Arctic. Fish samples were analyzed by gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) technique. The obtained results show that the major POPs in fish were dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) breakdown products and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) congeners. The ∑PCB8 in pink salmon, Arctic char, navaga, humpback whitefish and northern pike were 1.54, 1.58, 1.24, 0.72 and 0.32 ng/g (ww), respectively. The main PCB congeners maximum average medium concentrations were 0.68 ng/g (ww) and 0.51 ng/g (ww) of PCB#153 in navaga and PCB#128 in pink salmon, respectively. The main DDT breakdown product was p,p’-DDE. In Arctic char, pink salmon, navaga, humpback whitefish and northern pike, the concentration of p,p’-DDE was 0.58, 1.61, 0.49, 0.63 and 0.08 ng/g (ww), respectively. A moderate positive relationship between ∑PCB8 and lipid content and a high positive relationship between ∑DDT and lipid content were observed. In fish samples with fat content <0.5% (northern pike, humpback whitefish), the amount of analyzed POPs was 2 or more times lower than that in fish species with fat content >1% (pink salmon, Arctic char). Despite the large number of fish in the diet of indigenous peoples from NAO, no significant risks were identified. Most legacy POP and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) tend to decrease, which can be explained by past national and regional bans and restriction on their use and emission.

Comprehensive Strategy for Sample Preparation for the Analysis of Food Contaminants and Residues by GC–MS/MS: A Review of Recent Research Trends

“…In order to achieve a practical and reliable method, several preparation methods have been developed. Extraction by a solvent is the classic sample preparation technique, which includes liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), soxhlet extraction, solid-liquid extraction (SLE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasonic extraction (USE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Improved extraction methods, such as pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), can increase the diffusion rate and solubility of interferences into the matrix [23,24].…”

Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Imported Fish

“…With regard to the TPCB6 in C. harengus [42] reported lower TPCB values of 0.1 mg/kg, 0.20 mg/kg, 0.05 mg/kg and 0.15 mg/kg in samples of Bream (Sparus aurata), Perch (Perca fluviatilis), Roach (Rutilus rutilus) and Northern Pike (Esox lucius) respectively from the Lakes of Warmia and Mazury Regions in Poland. On the other hand [43] reported much higher TPCB values of 1.58 mg/kg and 1.54 mg/kg in samples of the Arctic char (Salvielinus alpinus) and Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) respectively from the Nenets Autonomous Okrug region of Russia. The authors however recorded a comparable TPCB value of 0.32 mg/kg in the Northern Pike (Esox lucius) from the same region.…”

A probabilistic hazard and risk assessment of exposure to metals and organohalogens associated with a traditional diet in the Indigenous communities of Eeyou Istchee (northern Quebec, Canada)

“…For comparison in other Indigenous communities in Canada and globally, traditional foods such as fish (e.g., arctic char) and marine mammals (e.g., whale) are contaminated with PCB congener 153—and other PCBs—and are the probable route of exposure, following consumption, to PCB congener 153 (Curren et al 2015 ; Lakhmanov et al 2020 ; Muckle et al 2001 ; Singh et al 2014 ). Consequently, there may be a risk to human health consuming these traditional foods, although most studies indicate the risk is slight, as does our study following the consumption of goose.…”