The occurrence of organic contaminants in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in Poland: An environmental quality assessment

The objective of the present study was to provide information on the levels of pollutants in the tissues of eels caught in Polish waters. The contaminants included in the study are those which have not yet been widely studied in eel stocks, but which arouse concern in relation to the environment. An overview of the pollutant levels in eels caught in other European waters was also conducted. The results are evaluated in terms of environmental quality and consumer health. The mean concentrations of ΣPBDEs and ΣHBCDs in muscles of eels sampled in Polish waters were between 1 and 2 ng g−1 ww. The mean TBT concentrations were between 2 and 4 ng g−1 ww with the exception of samples from the Szczecin Lagoon, in which the mean TBT concentration was about tenfold higher.