Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated pesticides (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexane, and hexachlorobenzene residues in smoked seafood

Abstract

Smoked seafoods were screened for the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other organochlorine compounds. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 46.5 ng/g (wet weight) for smoked swordfish to 124.0 ng/g (wet weight) for smoked herring. Among the carcinogenic PAHs, benzo(a)pyrene ranged from undetectable levels for several smoked fish to 0.7 ng/g for Scottish salmon, dibenzo(ah)anthracene was not present in any of the samples analyzed, and benzo(a)anthracene was found in all samples and at particularly high levels in salmon (23.2 ng/g). Benzo(a)pyrene concentrations were below the tolerance limit for all samples. PCB concentrations for the different samples ranged from 2 to 30 ng/g. Chlorinated pesticides (DDTs: p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and o,p'-DDD) were detected at levels ranging from 0.2 ng/g (wet weight) in bluefin tuna to 17.5 ng/g (wet weight) in salmon. Hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (alphaHCH + betaHCH + gammaHCH) were present in higher amounts in eels (6.5 ng/g) than in the other smoked fish. For 40% of the samples, PCB concentrations exceeded the limit fixed by the European Union, while pesticide levels were below the maximum acceptable limit proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization.