Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in livers of cod from the southern Baltic, 1983

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-benzenehexachloride (BHC; HCH), p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDT (sigma DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) levels have been determined in livers of 210 cod (Gadus morhua) netted during 1983 in a different regions in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. The mean levels found for cod livers related to wet weight (mg/kg) were: 0.096 HCB, 0.15 alpha-BHC, beta-BHC was found in trace amounts, 0.098 gamma-BHC, delta-BHC remained undetected, 0.26 sigma BHC, 1.1 p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDD and o,p'-DDT remained undetected, 1.1 p,p'-DDD, 0.39 p,p'-DDT, 2.6 sigma DDT and 7.2 PCB. The levels of sigma DDT, sigma BHC and HCB found are comparable with those noted in livers taken from cod of the same length class and netted in 1981, whilst-for PCB somewhat lower levels were found. Because of heavy contamination with PCBs, sigma DDT, sigma BHC and HCB the livers of cod caught in Baltic Sea still remain insuitable for human consumption.