Table 40. Concentrations of DDT and PCB's in marine organisms from European waters. Data in
mg/kg wet weight [Ernst et al. 1976 (English Channel); Schaefer et al. 1976 (Central North Sea);
Eder et al. 1976 (Skagerrak)]
Liver
Muscle
PCB's
DDT
PCB's
DDT
1. English Channel
SOoN; 0° -4OW, 60-70 m, 1971
Grey gurnard (Trigla lucema)
0.2-1.7
0.1-0.5
0.03-0.12
0.01-0.03
Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
0.4-2.2
0.12-0.5
0.01-0.04
0.003-0.007
Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus)
2.8
0.9
0.D3
0.005
Scallop (Chlamys opercularis)
0.02-0.05
0.003-0.007
Squid (Loligo /orbesi)
0.08-0.18
0.01-0.06
2. Central North Sea
55°N; 6°E, 40-50 m, 1972
Herring (Qupea harengus)
0.13-0.33 0.04-0.08 0.03-0.11
0.01-0.06
Long rough dab (Hippoglossoides
platessoides)
0.4-0.6
0.05-0.1
0.03-0.05
0.004-0.005
Dab (Limanda limanda)
0.4-0.7
0.05-0.2
0.03-0.06
0.003-0.01
Cod (Gadus morhua)
0.3-8.1
0.D3-1.8
0.03-0.07
0.006-0.01
Cockle (Acanthocardia tuberculata)
0.01-0.04
0.001-0.003
3. Skagerrak
58~; 7°E, 400 m, 1972
Pole-dab (Glyptocephalus
cyneglossus)
0.4-0.6
0.16
0.03-0.05
0.008
Octopus (Benthoctopus piscatorum)
0.01-0.03
0.001-0.003
Deepsea Prawn (Pandalus borealis)
0.01-0.02
0.001-0.003
Crab (Munida tenuimana), Eggs
0.13-0.24 0.09-0.13 0.01-0.03
0.004-0.008
It is beyond the scope of this chapter to discuss the actual position of science as
regards adverse effects through regular intake, over years, of small amounts of DDT,
PCB, and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, or through the concentrations which accumulate in human tissues. Therefore in this chapter standards of "accepted daily
intake" (ADI) are not further questioned. From the point of view of marine food
resources one could be satisfied with the knowledge that concentrations of chlorinated
hydrocarbons in fish are one order of magnitude less than concentrations in the meat
of domestic animals. However, it remains as a remarkable fact that out of very small
concentrations in food, man and animals accumulate rather large amounts of chlorinated hydrocarbons which then are stored in tissues.
Mother's milk in the Federal Republic of Germany has average concentrations, on fat
basis, of 1-2 mg/kg PCB's, 1 mg/kg DDT, 0.5 mg/kg of HCB, 0.2 mg/kg of betaHCH. Maximum figures were 5 rng/kg of DDT, 5 mg/kg of HCB, 1 mg/kg of alpha
plus gamma-HCH, 0.3 mg/kg of beta-HCH. If a baby of 5 kg body weight drinks, over
a period of 100 days, 0.5 kg of mother's milk per day, and if the milk has a fat content of 4%, then 0.5 kg of fat are eaten in 100 days, with a content of 0.5 mg of
DDT, 0.25 mg of HCB and 0.1 mg of beta-HCH. The daily intake of DDT, during
172
mg/kg wet weight [Ernst et al. 1976 (English Channel); Schaefer et al. 1976 (Central North Sea);
Eder et al. 1976 (Skagerrak)]
Liver
Muscle
PCB's
DDT
PCB's
DDT
1. English Channel
SOoN; 0° -4OW, 60-70 m, 1971
Grey gurnard (Trigla lucema)
0.2-1.7
0.1-0.5
0.03-0.12
0.01-0.03
Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
0.4-2.2
0.12-0.5
0.01-0.04
0.003-0.007
Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus)
2.8
0.9
0.D3
0.005
Scallop (Chlamys opercularis)
0.02-0.05
0.003-0.007
Squid (Loligo /orbesi)
0.08-0.18
0.01-0.06
2. Central North Sea
55°N; 6°E, 40-50 m, 1972
Herring (Qupea harengus)
0.13-0.33 0.04-0.08 0.03-0.11
0.01-0.06
Long rough dab (Hippoglossoides
platessoides)
0.4-0.6
0.05-0.1
0.03-0.05
0.004-0.005
Dab (Limanda limanda)
0.4-0.7
0.05-0.2
0.03-0.06
0.003-0.01
Cod (Gadus morhua)
0.3-8.1
0.D3-1.8
0.03-0.07
0.006-0.01
Cockle (Acanthocardia tuberculata)
0.01-0.04
0.001-0.003
3. Skagerrak
58~; 7°E, 400 m, 1972
Pole-dab (Glyptocephalus
cyneglossus)
0.4-0.6
0.16
0.03-0.05
0.008
Octopus (Benthoctopus piscatorum)
0.01-0.03
0.001-0.003
Deepsea Prawn (Pandalus borealis)
0.01-0.02
0.001-0.003
Crab (Munida tenuimana), Eggs
0.13-0.24 0.09-0.13 0.01-0.03
0.004-0.008
It is beyond the scope of this chapter to discuss the actual position of science as
regards adverse effects through regular intake, over years, of small amounts of DDT,
PCB, and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, or through the concentrations which accumulate in human tissues. Therefore in this chapter standards of "accepted daily
intake" (ADI) are not further questioned. From the point of view of marine food
resources one could be satisfied with the knowledge that concentrations of chlorinated
hydrocarbons in fish are one order of magnitude less than concentrations in the meat
of domestic animals. However, it remains as a remarkable fact that out of very small
concentrations in food, man and animals accumulate rather large amounts of chlorinated hydrocarbons which then are stored in tissues.
Mother's milk in the Federal Republic of Germany has average concentrations, on fat
basis, of 1-2 mg/kg PCB's, 1 mg/kg DDT, 0.5 mg/kg of HCB, 0.2 mg/kg of betaHCH. Maximum figures were 5 rng/kg of DDT, 5 mg/kg of HCB, 1 mg/kg of alpha
plus gamma-HCH, 0.3 mg/kg of beta-HCH. If a baby of 5 kg body weight drinks, over
a period of 100 days, 0.5 kg of mother's milk per day, and if the milk has a fat content of 4%, then 0.5 kg of fat are eaten in 100 days, with a content of 0.5 mg of
DDT, 0.25 mg of HCB and 0.1 mg of beta-HCH. The daily intake of DDT, during
172