PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in fish species from Lake Victoria, East Africa
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Chemosphere
Abstract
Two commercially important fish species, Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
belonging to different trophic levels were collected from the Napoleon Gulf and Thurston Bay in Lake
Victoria. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxinlike
polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) were extracted from the fish muscles and livers using the 13C
isotope dilution method, followed by multiple column chromatography clean-up. Analysis was achieved
by a high resolution gas chromatography coupled with a high resolution mass spectrometer. The concentrations
of analytes ranged from 0.07 to 0.59 pg g 1 fresh weight (fw) and 0.3–19.0 pg g 1 in L. niloticus
and 0.06–0.18 and 0.2–15.7 pg g 1 in O. niloticus, for PPCDD/Fs and Pdl-PCBs, respectively. Differences
in congener concentrations were observed between the two fish species and study sites, and this was
attributed to differences in feeding habits and trophic levels. World Health Organization-toxic equivalents
(WHO-TEQs) were in the range 0.01–0.16 pg TEQ g 1 for the PCDD/Fs and 0.001–0.74 pg TEQ g 1
for the dl-PCBs. The TEQ values in the present study were lower compared to those of most fish samples
reported in literature and were within permissible levels recommended by the European Union, implying
that the fish was fit for human consumption.
Description
Keywords
PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, Lates niloticus, Oreochromis niloticus, Lake Victoria
Citation
Ssebugere, P., Kiremire, BT, Henkelmann, B., Bernhöft, S., Kasozi, GN, Wasswa, J., & Schramm, KW (2013). PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in fish species from Lake Victoria, East Africa. Chemosphere , 92 (3), 317-321. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.03.033