Polychlorinated biphenyl residues in the golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) from Tunis Bay, Mediterranean sea (Tunisia)

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determinated in the muscle tissues of mullets (Liza aurata) caught from two coastal marine areas in Tunis bay, “Raoued” and “Radès”. Twenty congeners were detected in all the fish samples analyzed, among which were 4 congeners recommended by the European Union for assessing pollution and 4 “dioxin-like” congeners. Residue levels of total PCBs ranged from 45 to 194 ng/g wet wt in the mullet from “Radès” and from 43 to 65 ng/g w wt in specimens from “Raoued”. Hexachlorobiphenyls were predominant in fishes caught from both “Raoued” and “Radès” areas, accounting for 43% and 40%, respectively. The individual PCB profiles were dominated by congeners 153 in mullet from “Raoued” and PCB 200 in fishes from “Radès”. The levels of TEQs of “dioxin-like” congeners were 3.4 pg/g w wt for fishes from “Raoued” and 2.5 pg/g w wt for specimens from “Radès”.