SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION AND BIOACCUMULATION OF POLYCHLORINATED NAPHTHALENES (PCNS) IN MUSSEL AND FISH FROM THE GULF OF GDANSK, BALTIC SEA

Blue mussel, flounder, perch and lamprey from the Gulf of Gdansk accum ulate many tetra- through hepta-CNs. Highest concentrations in fishes and lamprey are PCN congeners such as nos. 42, 52, 60, 61 and 69, whic h do not have vicinal (adjacent) carbon atoms unsubstituted with chlor ine (NVC-Cl PCNs) and seem to be relatively resistant in the marine en vironment. In mussel, chloronaphthalenes such as nos. 38/40, 33/34/37, 28/43 and 47 dominate, i.e. the congeners, which have two or three vi cinal carbon atoms unsubstituted with chlorine (DVC-Cl and TVC-Cl PCNs ). PCNs with two vicinal carbon atoms unsubstituted with chlorine (DVC -Cl PCNs) are less abundant in fish and lamprey than NVC-Cl members, w hile those congeners with three (TVC-Cl PCNs) or four (QVC-Cl PCNs) vi cinal carbon atoms unsubstituted are present as only minor compounds o r are absent. Congener-specific data obtained using a non-destructive sample extraction and clean-up method coupled to HRGC-HRMS can be usef ul to explain potential species- or site-specific differences of the p ollution pattern with PCNs. Most of the hexa-CNs, both hepta-CNs and s ome penta- and tetra-CNs show their high potency for bioaccumulation i n flounder when related to mussel as their food. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sci ence B.V.