Polychlorinated biphenyls and some pesticides in perch (Perca fluviatilis)from inland waters of Latvia

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT - related substances, hexachlorocyclo hexane (HCH) isomers and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were analysed in perch (Pe rca fluviatilis) from Latvian lakes and rivers. DDE is present in the highe st concentrations in all samples; 62-170 ng/g lipid weight in perch from ru ral areas and 460 ng/g in perch from the Riga area. Individual dominating P CB congeners were in the range 16-45 ng/g and 200-210 ng/g, respectively. T he degree of contamination of rural areas in Latvia of these organohalogen substances is in the same range as in background areas in Sweden. Riga, the major urban area in Latvia, is shown to be more polluted with PCBs than ot her areas in Latvia. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.