Persistent organic pollutants in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) in two fish farms in the Mediterranean Sea.

We analyzed polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in the edible part of farmed sea bass reared in two fish farms in Liguria (Northern Italy). The aim was to determine the contamination levels and human exposure to these chemicals through fish consumption. Concentrations of "dioxin-like" PCBs (DL-PCBs) ranged from 0.033 to 0.759pg ΣTEQ-PCBg(-1) whole weight (w.w.) in fish farm 1 and from 0.032 to 1.60pg ΣTEQ-PCBg(-1) w.w. in fish farm 2, and the six indicators of "non-dioxin-like" (NDL-PCBs) from 0.538 to 9.33ng Σ6PCBg(-1) w.w. and from 1.62 to 27.6ng Σ6PCBg(-1) w.w. Concentrations were generally lower in farm 1 than in farm 2. One reason for this difference might be the proximity of farm 2 to the seaport of La Spezia, which could be a punctual source of pollutants influencing the contamination of the water in the farm. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed differences also in the congeners profiles for the two sites, with higher-chlorinated PCBs more abundant in farm 1, and lower-chlorinated PCBs were more abundant in farm 2. Most of the concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were below the limit of detection (LOD 0.05ngg(-1) w.w.). Only about 10% of the samples analyzed had levels slightly higher than the LOD. Assessments of exposure using these data showed that consumption of farmed fish may contribute significantly to PCBs through the diet, whereas the contribution of PFOS and PFOA seems to be low.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic Acid in fish fillet samples.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic (PFOA) acid are persistent contaminants which can be found in environmental and biological samples. A new and fast analytical method is described here for the analysis of these compounds in the edible part of fish samples. The method uses a simple liquid extraction by sonication, followed by a direct determination using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The linearity of the instrumental response was good, with average regression coefficients of 0.9971 and 0.9979 for PFOS and PFOA, respectively, and the coefficients of variation (CV) of the method ranged from 8% to 20%. Limits of detection (LOD) were 0.04 ng/g for both the analytes and recoveries were 90% for PFOS and 76% for PFOA. The method was applied to samples of homogenized fillets of wild and farmed fish from the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the samples showed little or no contamination by perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid, and the highest concentrations detected among the fish species analyzed were, respectively, 5.96 ng/g and 1.89 ng/g. The developed analytical methodology can be used as a tool to monitor and to assess human exposure to perfluorinated compounds through sea food consumption.

The effect of waste combustion on the occurrence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in breast milk in Italy.

Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were measured in the breast milk of mothers living in Giugliano (Campania, Italy), an area at increased risk of PCDD and PCDF exposure caused by recent and serious open-air waste-combustion accidents. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in milk samples were also studied. Breast milk was also monitored in two cities in northern Italy, Milan and Piacenza, which were selected as controls. Other variables, such as diet and age of the mothers, were also studied. PCDD/F and PCB levels and congener profiles in breast-milk samples were similar in all these cities, though total PCDD/F and DL-PCB TEQs in samples from Giugliano were significantly lower than those in Milan and Piacenza (8.65 pg WHO-TEQ in Giugliano vs. 11.0 and 9.94 pg WHO-TEQ in Milan and Piacenza respectively). Thus no direct correlations were found between PCDD/F and PCB levels in breast milk and the suspected increased exposure through open-air waste combustion in Giugliano. Diet did not seem to affect PCDD/F and PCB levels, whereas a significant correlation was observed between the mother's age and an increased concentration of PCDDs/Fs and PCBs in milk. Comparison of these findings with those of previous surveys in Italy in 2000-2001 showed a marked reduction of PCDD/F (about 60%) and DL-PCB (about 20%) levels in breast milk occurring over the last 10 years. This might well be a result of well functioning legislation, for example European Directives on of the reduction of the emission limits of PCDDs/Fs and PCBs from waste incineration set by EU Directive 2000/76/EC implemented in 2000, or Commission Regulations such as (EC) No. 466/2001 and 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.

Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in fruit and vegetables from an industrial area in northern Italy.

Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were measured in fruit and vegetables (n=113) harvested in different parts of the Mantua district, in northern Italy, and levels were used for assessing the exposure of the population to the contaminants through these food items. Concentrations in fruit and vegetables were in the range 33.39-10130pgg(-1)fresh weight (fw) for the sum of the 26PCBs analyzed (Sigma(26PCBs)), 14.86-4504pgg(-1)fw for the six "indicator" non-dioxin-like PCBs (Sigma(6 NDL-PCBs)), and 0.0004-1.398pg toxic equivalent (TEQ)g(-1)fw for the dioxin-like PCBs (SigmaTEQ(DL-PCBs)). Altogether fruit and vegetables made only a limited contribution to total dietary PCB intake, as the estimated total mean daily intake (TMDI) of Sigma(26PCBs) through these food items was 10.1% in children and 10.4% in adults of the minimal risk level (MRL) for PCBs, while the TMDI of SigmaTEQ(DL-PCBs) was 3.3% in children and 3.7% in adults of the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for dioxin-like compounds. The contribution of fruit and vegetables to total PCDD and PCDF dietary intake could not be assessed because concentrations of these congeners were almost all below the limit of detection in most of the crops analyzed. This study also found that PCB levels in rosemary were much higher than in any other crop, suggesting that rosemary leaves accumulate PCBs and that this plant might be proposed as a "sentinel" of the presence of these contaminants in the environment.