Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

PCB levels in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from two coastal lagoons of the Mediterranean

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Eels are exposed to pollutants due to their unusual life cycle and are vulnerable to contamination associated with sediment due to their diet, feeding habits and territoriality. Since the 1980s, a decline in American and European eel populations has been recorded. The causes of this decline still are unknown but pollution from domestic and industrial effluents is known to be involved. Since little data is available on PCB contamination in eels from Italian waters, PCBs were measured in muscle of Anguilla anguilla captured in 2001 in two brackish ecosystems of the Mediterranean: the lagoons of Orbetello and Santa Giusta (Italy). PCBs were higher in samples from Orbetello lagoon than in those detected from Santa Giusta lagoon (P < 0.05). Congener and isomer analyses indicated Aroclor 1260 as a likely source of PCBs in the Orbetello and Santa Giusta samples. Only the toxic equivalents (TEQs) of mono-ortho PCBs were calculated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ashley, J. T. F., Horwitz, R., Steinbacher, J. C. and Ruppel, B.: 2003, ‘A comparison of congeneric PCB patterns in American eels and striped bass from the Hudson and Delaware River estuaries’, Mar. Pollut. Bull. 46, 1294–1308.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bimbos, D. and Mau, G.: 1986, ‘Schadstoffe in hessischen Flussfischen, Situation, Bewertung und Verzehersempfehlungen’, Fishwirt 36, 69–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bordajandi, L. R., Gómez, G., Fernández, M. A., Abad, E., Rivera, J. and González, M. J.: 2003, ‘Study on PCBs, PCDD/Fs, organochlorine pesticides, heavy metals and arsenic content in freshwater fish species from the river Turia (Spain)’, Chemosphere 53, 163–171.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bressa, G., Sisti, E. and Cima, F.: 1997, ‘PCBs and organochlorinated pesticides in eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) from the Po Delta’, Mar. Chem. 58, 261–266.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cognetti, G.: 1999, ‘Conservation strategies in the Mediterranean’, Aquat. Conserv. Mar. Freshwat. Ecosyst. 9, 509–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cognetti, G. and Maltagliati, F.: 2000, ‘Biodiversity and adaptive mechanisms in brackish water fauna’, Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40, 7–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corsi, I., Aurigi, S. and Focardi, S.: 2001, ‘Toxicological evaluation of organochlorine levels on some fish specimens from Adriatic sea’, in: M. Faranda, L. Guglielmo and G. Spezie (eds), Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes, Springer, Milano, 71–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corsi, I., Mariottini, M., Sensini, C., Lancini, L. and Focardi, S.: 2003, ‘Fish as bioindicators of brackish ecosystem health: Integrating biomarker responses and target pollutant concentration’, Oceanol. Acta 26, 129–138.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corsolini, S., Focardi, S., Kannan, K., Tanabe, S., Borrell, A. and Tatsukawa, R.: 1995a, ‘Congener profile and toxicity assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls in dolphins, sharks and tuna collected from italian coastal waters’, Mar. Environ. Res. 40, 33–53.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corsolini, S., Kannan, K., Tanabe, S. and Tatsukawa, R.: 1995b, ‘Isomer-specific analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalent (TEQs) in red fox and human adipose tissue from central Italy’, Arch. Environ. Con. Tox. 29, 61–68.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cousin, I. T., Gevao, B. and Jones, C. K.: 1999, ‘Measuring and modelling the vertical distribution of semivolatile organic compounds in soils. I: PCB and PAH soil core data’, Chemosphere 39, 2507–2518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fromme, H., Otto, T., Pilz, K. and Neugebauer, F.: 1999, ‘Levels of synthetic musks; bromocylene and PCBs in eel (Anguilla anguilla) and PCBs in sediment samples from some waters of Berlin/Germany’, Chemosphere 39, 1723–1735.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huybregtse, P. A. and Jonker, K. M.: 1990, ‘Levels of organochlorine pesticides, PCBs and some heavy metals in eels caught in Zeeland during October 1988’, De Ware(n)-Chemicus 20, 1–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jimenez, B., Hernandez, L. M and Gonzalez, M. J.: 1998, ‘Congener specific analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in crabs and sediments from the Venice and Orbetello Lagoons, Italy’, Environ. Sci. Technol. 32, 3853–3861.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kannan, K., Corsolini, S., Imagawa, T., Focardi, S., Giesy, J. P.: 2002, ‘Polychlorinated-naphtalenes, -biphenyls, -dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and pp'-DDE in bluefin tuna, swordfish, cormorants and barn swallows from Italy’, Ambio 31, 207–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langston, W. J., Chesman, B. S., Burt, G. R., Pope, N. D. and McEvoy, J.: 2002, ‘Metallothionein in liver of eelsAnguilla anguilla from the Thames Estuary: An indicator of environmental quality?’, Mar. Environ. Res. 53, 263–293.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larsson, P., Hamrin, S. and Okla, L.:1991, ‘Factors determining the uptake of persistent pollutants in an eel population (Anguilla anguilla L.)’, Environ. Pollut. 69, 39–50.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mariottini, M., Corsi, I., Menchi, V. and Focardi, S.: 2002, ‘Monitoring the Orbetello Lagoon using two fish bioindicators: Mugil cephalus and Zosterisessor ophiocephalus’a, SETAC Europe, in: Challenges in Environmental Risk Assessment and Modeling: Linking Basic and Applied Research, 12–16 May, 2002, Vienna, Austria, 255.

  • Miao, X-S., Swenson, C., Woodward, L. A. and Li, Q. X.: 2000, ‘Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls in marine species from French Frigate Shoals, North Pacific Ocean’, Sci. Total Environ. 257, 17–28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robinet, T. and Feunteun, E.: 2002, ‘Sublethal effects of exposure to chemical compounds: A cause for the decline in Atlantic eels?’, Ecotoxicology 11, 265–277.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossel, D., Honsberger, P. and Tarradellas, J.: 1987, ‘Bioaccumulative behaviour of some PCB congeners in lake Geneva brown trout (Salmo trutta lacustris L.)’, Int. J. Environ. An. Ch. 31, 219–233.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossi, R. and Colombo, G.: 1976, ‘Sex ratio, age and growth of silver eels in two brackish lagoons in the northern Adriatic Valli of Comacchio and Valle Nuova’, Archo Oceanogr. Limnol. 18, 327–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Safe, S.: 1992, ‘Toxicology, structure-function relation-ship, and human and environmental health impacts of polychlorinated biphenyls: progress and problems’,Environ. Health Persp. 100, 259–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sechi, N., Fiocca, F., Sannio, A. and Luglié, A.: 2001, ‘Santa Giusta Lagoon (Sardinia): Phytoplankton and nutrients before and after waste water diversion’, J. Limnol. 60, 194–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turgeon, C. and Beaulieu, G.: 1973, ‘Présence de mercure dans l'anguille d'Amérique Anguilla rostrata’. Direction générale des pêches maritimes, Québec, pp. 259–266.

  • Van den Berg, M., Birnbaum, L., Bosveld, A. T. C., Brunstrom, B., Cook, P., Feeley, M., Giesy, J., Handberg, A., Hasegawa, R., Kennedy, S. W., Kubiak, T., Larsen, J. C., van Leeuwen, F. X. R., Liem, A. K. D., Nolt, C., Peterson, R. E., Poelliner, L., Safe, S., Schrenk, D., Tillitt, D., Tysklind, M., Younes, M., Waern, F. and Zacharewski, T.: 1998, ‘Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for PCBs, PCDDs, PCDFs for humans and wildlife’, Environ. Health Perspect. 106, 775–791.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Oost, R., Gøksoyr, A., Celander, M., Heida, H. and Vermeulen, N. P. E.: 1996, ‘Biomonitoring of aquatic pollution with feral eel (Anguilla anguilla) II. Biomarkers: Pollution-induced biochemical responses’, Aquat. Toxicol. 36, 189–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weatherley, N. S., Davies, G. L. and Ellery, S.: 1997, ‘Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) from Welsh rivers’, Environ. Pollut. 95, 127–134.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences “G. Sarfatti” University of Siena, Italy

    M. Mariottini, I. Corsi & S. Focardi

Authors
  1. M. Mariottini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I. Corsi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Focardi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Mariottini.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mariottini, M., Corsi, I. & Focardi, S. PCB levels in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from two coastal lagoons of the Mediterranean. Environ Monit Assess 117, 519–528 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-2767-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-2767-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation