Organochlorine Compounds in Beached Plastics and Marine Organisms

Here we compare bioaccumulation factors in marine organisms to partition ratios debris for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and polychlorinated biphenyls. Both organochlorines are synthetic persistent organic pollutants emitted into the environment since beginning of last century approximately equal amounts. Their vast use dispersion have resulted similar median concentrations two some pelagic organisms, namely liver muscle tissue fish. Molluscs, on other hand, show higher uptake PCBs (median = 2.34 ng/g) than DDTs 1.70 ng/g), probably reflecting more localized conditions. We found that can be several orders magnitude ratios. For instance, different matrices fish, birds, mammals between one four those debris, when lipid-normalized; or up measured as wet-weight. But, molluscs, bioaccumulation/partition equals unity, which agrees with previous studies using passive samplers. Future research should focus reducing sources uncertainty by 1) homogenization chemical procedures; 2) better assessment equilibrium water polymers environmental conditions; 3) (multi)polymer samplers aimed at mimicking specific living tissues.