BaselineOrganotropism of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in the Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus in NE Greenland

•PCBs were more abundant in liver > muscle > fat and PBDEs in gonads > spleen > muscle.•Dioxin-like compounds and TEQs were lower than/comparable to those in Arctic species.•Cd and Se accumulated in the pancreas, mercury in muscle, lead in the skin.•The protective mechanism between Se and Hg is valid for this species.•First study on contaminant distribution across multiple tissues of Somniosus microcephalus.

The Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus is an opportunistic feeder, a top predator, and a very long-lived species. The brain, liver, red and white muscle, gonads, fat, skin, pancreas, and spleen of Greenland sharks from NE Greenland fjords were analysed for PCBs, PCDDs/DFs, PBDEs; DDT isomers; HCH isomers; dieldrin; endrin; HCB; Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se.PCBs (2.01-103 ng/g wet wt) and PBDEs (7.9-3050 pg/g wet wt) were detected in most of the samples. PCDDs/DFs showed high values when detected. DDTs, HCB and HCHs were only detected in some tissues. The ΣTEQ was 5.76 pg/g in muscle.Cadmium mainly accumulated in the pancreas and liver (19.6 and 10.7 mg/kg dry wt, respectively); mercury in red muscle (4.10-6.91 mg/kg dry wt); selenium in the pancreas (3.57 mg/kg dry wt) and spleen (1.95 mg/kg dry wt); lead in the skin (0.358 mg/kg dry wt). The selenium-mercury ratio in the liver was also evaluated.