Organochlorine residues in deep-sea organisms from Suruga Bay, Japan

Residue levels of persistent organochlorines in deep-sea organisms collected from Suruga Bay, Japan, were determined, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were the predominant group of organochlorines ranging in concentrations from 380 to 2800 ng g(-1) on a lipid weight basis, DDTs (DDT and its metabolises) were the next most abundant organochlorine compounds followed by CHLs (chlordane compounds), HCHs (hexachlorocyclohexanes) and HCB (hexachlorobenzene). In comparison with coastal shallow water organisms, higher concentrations of HCHs were found in deep-sea organisms, while no significant difference was noted for other organochlorines, Organochlorine residue levels in Suruga Bay were comparatively lower than those in other deep-sea organisms reported elsewhere, The deep-sea organisms showed no consistent trend between organochlorine concentrations and food chain relationships, Lipid-dependent accumulation of organochlorines by equilibrium partitioning may be attributable to this residue pattern, Among DDT compounds, p,p'-DDE was the highest in most deep-sea organisms, Trans-nonachlor and B-HCH were the major constituents of CHLs and HCHs, respectively, in these organisms. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.