Concentrations of PCBs in organisms from the central area of Bohai Sea and risk assessments

Marine organisms were collected from 14 stations in the central area of Bohai Sea in 2013 and 2014.The number of samples was 119, including fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods.The contents of 7 specified polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined by gas chromatography and electron capture detector (GC-ECD) to analyze their residue levels and pollution levels.The results indicated that, in 2013, the detection rates of the 7 specified polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fishes, crustaceans and cephalopodswere were 58.80%, 55.56% and 33.33%, respectively.The ranges were ND~10.60×10^-9, ND~9.75×10^-9, and ND~3.32×10^-9, respectively.In 2014, the detection rates of the 7 specified polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fishes, crustaceans and cephalopodswere were 44.90%, 23.08% and 50.00%, respectively.The ranges were ND~3.80×10^-9, ND~3.12×10^-9, ND~1.32×10^-9, respectively.Single factor pollution index method was used to assess the pollution situations of marine organisms in the central area of Bohai Sea.In 2013, the pollution indexes of PCBs in the organism samples ranged from 0 to 0.106. In 2014, the pollution indexes of PCBs in the organism samples ranged from 0 to 0.038.Above all, 7 specified polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are meet the the Marine biological quality.The PCBs content is relatively low in the central area of Bohai Sea.