Halogenated environmental contaminants in perch (Perca fluviatilis) from Latvian coastal areas

The environmental contamination situation in coastal areas of the former So viet Union has up to now been more or less unknown. This study on perch (Pe rca fluviatilis), collected at three locations along the coast of Latvia du ring 1994 and 1995, provides concentrations of several ubiquitous environme ntal contaminants (PCBs, HCB, HCHs, 4,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDE, 4,4'-DDD, trans-Non achlor, 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether). The concentrations of total PC B were similar at all study locations [0.7-1.4 ppm on a lipid weight (l.w.) basis], although a site close to the City of Riga indicated the presence o f a local PCB contamination source. The contamination source was identified mainly by a higher relative content of lower chlorinated PCB congeners in the samples. Local pollution sources were also indicated for HCH and DDT. A large variation in the HCH isomer composition between 1994 and 1995 at one location demonstrates short half-lives of HCHs in the environment. The bro minated flame retardant compound 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromdiphenyl ether was pres ent in the range of 6.4-10 ng/g l.w. in the perch. The clean-up method appl ied in this study allowed for quantification of two semi-polar contaminants frequently overlooked in Baltic biota, namely Dieldrin and bis(4-chlorophe nyl) sulfone (BCPS). Concentrations of BCPS were remarkably high, i.e. in t he same magnitude as the most abundant PCB congeners. The results presented shows that the contamination of, e.g. PCB in an area of the former Soviet Union, the Gulf of Riga, is similar to that observed in other parts of the Baltic area. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.