Organochlorine pesticides in two fish species from the southern Caspian Sea

Abstract

In the present research, we aimed to investigate organochlorine toxins accumulated in both Rutilus frisii kutum and Liza aurata captured at the southern Caspian Sea. At six sampling stations, organochlorine toxins were measured in fish tissues by the gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) method. Total organochlorine toxins ranged from 2.102 ppb to 9.033 ppb in L. aurata at the study area. The highest content of total organochlorine toxins was obtained at station 5, whereas the lowest content was achieved at station 4. In L. aurata, lindane showed the highest level among the measured components (1.642 ppb), whereas α-lindane showed the highest mean level of the measured components (0.57 ppb). In this investigation, the total amount of organochlorine compounds in R. frisii kutum was more than that in L. aurata, but these compounds indicated no significant difference between the two types of fishes (p > 0.05). Moreover, the measured components in both types of fishes were lesser than the allowable limit.

Keywords: Caspian Sea; Liza aurata; Organochlorine; Rutilus frisii kutum.