PBDE and PCB contamination of eels from the Gironde estuary: From glass eels to silver eels

Since the 1980s, the eel population has been decreasing dangerously. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are one of the suspected causes of this decline. A preliminary study of PCB contamination carried out on different fish from the Gironde estuary (southwest of France, Europe) has shown a relatively high level of contamination of eel muscles. In order to characterize the contamination level of PCBs and PBDEs (PolyBrominated Diphenyl-Ethers) in eels from this estuary more than 240 eels were collected during the years 2004–2005 in the Gironde estuarine system, from glass eels to silver eels. Individual European eels were grouped according to length and localization sites. The results have shown a low contamination level of glass eels: respectively 28 ± 11 ng g−1 dw for PCBs and 5 ± 3 ng g−1 dw for PBDEs. The contamination level in eels (expressed in ng g−1 dw) increases from glass eels to silver eels up to 3399 ng g−1 dw of PCBs for the most contaminated silver eel. Such levels of PCBs similar to those observed in Northern Europe, could raise sanitary problems connected with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. These results are worrying for the local people who regularly eat eels caught in the Gironde estuary.

Research highlights
► This work deals with POP contamination of European eels from Gironde estuary.
► It presents an environmental screening of PBDEs and PCBs realized on 240 eels.
► The contamination level in eels increases from glass eels to silver eels.
► The levels of PCBs were found to be similar to those observed in Northern Europe.
► Such levels could raise sanitary problems connected with the WHO recommendations.