Persistent organochlorine pollutants in Korean offshore waters: Squid (Todarodes pacificus) as a biomonitor

Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were determined in Japanese common squid collected from the offshore waters of Korea. Liver accumulated higher levels of contaminants than mantle. The sums of DDTs, PCBs, CHLs and HCHs in liver were in the ranges of 164–4430 ng g−1, 95–1030 ng g−1, 15–121 ng g−1, and 13–98 ng g−1 on a lipid weight basis, respectively. Among the POPs, DDTs showed distinct regional difference in concentration levels and composition between the western and eastern offshore of Korea. One of the highest concentrations of DDTs so far recorded in the western offshore of Korea, that is Yellow Sea. This implies ongoing fresh input of technical DDT to this regional sea. HCHs were relatively high in the Yellow Sea as well, with an enhanced signal of γ-HCH indicating recent input of lindane. In contrast, CHLs showed higher level in the eastern offshore of Korea, that is East Sea, but PCBs showed an even distribution in both regions. Squid could be a useful bio-indicator for monitoring offshore water contamination by POPs.