Organochlorines and their risk in marine shellfish collected from the Mediterranean coast, Egypt

Abstract

Shellfish is a useful tool for active environmental biomonitoring. According to levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in shellfish, we can calculate the risk observed for public health. Accordingly, this study covers the determination of POP concentration in some shellfish collected from the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. The obtained results revealed that the concentrations of total OCPs range from 47.07 ng g−1 to 113.9 ng g−1 with an average of 85.77 ng g−1. The organochlorine pesticide (OCP) concentration in collected shellfish followed the order: Total cyclodienes < PCBs < DDTs < HCHs. Meanwhile, the total concentration of PCBs in the collected shellfish samples range from 15.13 ng g−1 to 37.49 ng g−1 with an average of 25.72 ng g−1. The highest PCB concentrations (37.49, and 33.42 ng g−1) were found in the samples collected from the Eastern Harbor and Abo-Qir locations, respectively. The higher chlorinated congeners are of particular environmental interest because they have a long half life and easily bioaccumulate along the trophic chain. According to the world health authorities, the concentration of POPs in shellfish of the studied area can generally be considered not to be at levels posing a health risk.

Keywords

• Shellfish
• Bivalves
• Biomonitoring
• Organochlorine
• Mediterranean
• Egypt