Risk ranking of multiple-POPs in detritivorous fish from the Río de la Plata

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Ecotoxicology
• Fisheries Science

Background:

• Detritivorous fish, like Sábalo (Prochilodus lineatus), are crucial in aquatic food webs.
• Lipid-rich fish can bioaccumulate persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
• The Metropolitan Buenos Aires coast is a known area of anthropogenic pollution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the bioaccumulation of 213 organic pollutants in Sábalo fish.
• To evaluate the human health risks associated with consuming contaminated Sábalo.
• To characterize contaminant profiles and infer feeding habits.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 213 organic pollutants (PCBs, dlPCBs, CHLPs, CBzs, PBDEs, PCDD/F, ALI+UCM, LABs) in Sábalo muscle tissue.
• Determination of lipid content and pollutant concentrations (μg g⁻¹ fw, ng g⁻¹ fw).
• Calculation of total toxicity equivalents (TEQs) and comparison with reference doses for risk assessment.

Main Results:

• Sábalo exhibited very high concentrations of ALI+UCM (60–1,300 μg g⁻¹ fw), LABs (10–40 μg g⁻¹ fw), and PCBs (10–40 μg g⁻¹ fw).
• Elevated levels of dlPCBs, DDTs, chlordanes, CBzs, and PBDEs were also detected (0.1–1 μg g⁻¹ fw).
• Total TEQs ranged from 60–395 pg g⁻¹ fw, with significant contributions from dlPCBs and PCDD/F.

Conclusions:

• Sábalo demonstrates a remarkable capacity to bioaccumulate high pollutant loads from anthropogenic sources.
• Contaminant profiles suggest direct feeding near wastewater outfalls.
• Risk assessment indicates PCBs pose the highest consumption risk, while endosulfan has the highest consumption limit.