ORGANOCHLORINES AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS IN MUSCLE TISSUES OF SPORTFISH COLLECTED FROM SAN-FRANCISCO BAY

Edible fish species were collected from 13 locations throughout San Fr ancisco Bay, during the spring of 1994, for determination of contamina nt levels in muscle tissue, Species collected included white croaker, surf-perch, leopard and brown smoothhound sharks, striped bass, white sturgeon and halibut. 66 composite tissue samples were analysed for th e presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, trace elements and dioxin/furans. The U S EPA approach to assessing chemical contaminant data for fish tissue consumption was used for identifying the primary chemicals of concern, Six chemicals or chemical groups were found to exceed screening value s (SVs) established using the US EPA approach, PCBs (as total Aroclors ) exceeded the screening level of 3 ng g(-1) in all 66 muscle tissue s amples, with the greatest concentrations (638 ng g(-1)) found near San Francisco's industrial areas, Mercury was elevated (> 0.14 mu g g(-1) ) in 40 of 66 samples with the greatest concentrations (1.26 mu g g(-1 )) occurring in shark muscle tissues, Concentrations of the organochlo rine pesticides dieldrin, total chlordane and total dichlorodiphenyltr ichloroethane (DDT) exceeded screening levels in a number of samples, Dioxin/furans (as toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQ's)) were elevat ed (> 0.15 pg g(-1)) in 16 of the 19 samples analysed, Fish with high lipid content (croaker and surfperch) in their muscle tissue generally exhibited higher organic contaminant levels while fish with low lipid levels (halibut and shark) exhibited lower organic contaminant levels , Tissue samples taken from North Bay stations most often exhibited hi gh levels of chemical contamination, The California Office of Health H azard Assessment is currently evaluating the results of this study and has issued an interim Health Advisory concerning the human consumptio n of fish tissue from San Francisco Bay, (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.