PCBs in cod (<i>Gadus morhua</i>), flounder (<i>Platichthys flesus</i>), blue mussel (<i>Mytilus edulis</i>) and brown shrimp (<i>Crangon crangon</i>) from the Belgian Continental Shelf: relation to biological parameters and trend analysis

Abstract

PCB levels in cod, flounder, mussel and shrimp, covering a ten-year period, were assessed for temporal trends and their relation to biological parameters. A significant relation was found between the PCB levels on a wet weight basis and the total lipid content. Normalising on the total lipid content reduced the differences in PCB levels between the organisms and between different tissues within the organisms. A general downward trend was observed for the PCB levels on the Belgian continental shelf