BaselineOrganochlorine pesticides and chlorobiphenyls in the blubber of bycaught female common dolphins from England and Wales from 1992-2006

We report concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (HCB, HCHs, DDTs, dieldrin) and PCBs in the blubber of 43 common dolphins bycaught in fisheries operating off the SW coast of the UK from 1992 to 2006. Concentrations of ΣDDT (summed p,p′-DDT and its metabolites, p,p′-DDE and p,p′-TDE) and of 25 summed CB congeners ranged from 0.2 to 16.1 and 2.1 to 62.4 mg kg−1 lipid weight, respectively. Concentrations of sum HCH, HCB and dieldrin were lower, ranging from not detected to 0.14, 0.01 to 0.27 and 0.01 to 0.73 mg kg−1 lipid weight, respectively. All contaminants studied showed a downward time trend but only that for HCHs was statistically significant. Overall, 72% of the dolphins analysed had blubber PCB concentrations above an established toxicity threshold value.

► We determined OC pesticides and CBs in blubber of bycaught female common dolphins. ► From 1992 to 2006, only HCHs showed a downward time trend. ► 72% of the dolphins had PCB concentrations above a toxicity threshold value.