Monitoring of contaminants in fish and shellfish from Grenlandsfjordene 2012

Summary

This report presents and discusses the results from the 2012 monitoring of contaminants in fish and shellfish from the fjords in the Grenland region, Telemark county, southern Norway. The monitoring is an element of the Norwegian Pollution Monitoring Programme and is performed jointly by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR). For this report a detailed statistical analysis has been made on all available time series data on dioxins and non-orto PCB (non-orto PCB) in cod liver, sea trout, edible crab hepatopancreas, and blue mussel. The statistical analysis is presented in annex 1 to the report. Map of the area with sampling sites is found in Figure 1. The environmental conditions in the Grenland fjords have been monitored more or less annually since the early 1970ies. The focus has been on the overall pollution state of the fjord system and on contaminants in fish and shellfish. Large reductions in the industrial effluents resulted in a strong decline in contaminant levels in fish and shellfish around 1990, but still the dioxin concentrations in seafood are too high for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to annul present food consumption advisories. The aim of the program is partly to assess the temporal development in dioxin pollution (and other contaminants) in selected, important species of fish and shellfish, and partly to describe the contamination status in other species of commercial interest in various parts of the fjord system. The 2012 programme was intended to comprise the following: • Time series on lipid content, dioxins (PCDF/PCDD) and non-orto PCBs in liver of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), hepatopancreas of edible crab (Cancer pagurus), blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and fillet of sea trout (Salmo trutta). • Dioxins and non-orto PCBs in fillet of cod, crab claws, tail tissue of Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis). • Mercury in fillet of cod • Brominated flame retardants (PBDE), perfluoro (PFAS), and organotin compounds in cod liver. The samples were collected by IMR from Frierfjorden, Langesundsfjorden, Langesundsbukta and areas outside (Jomfruland, Såstein, Klokkartangen) during 12. - 17. November 2012. The shrimp sample was taken by local fishermen in January 2013. Dioxins, non-orto PCB, PBDE, and PFAS were analysed by the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU). Mercury and organotin compounds were analysed by Eurofins.