Pollution characteristics and risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in shellfish from Shandong coastal area

We analyzed 15 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) residues such as organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in cultured shellfish (Mactra veneriformis, Ruditapes decussatus and Ostrea gigas, etc.) in Shandong coastal areas by gas chromatography (GC), comparing with the data at home and abroad, and investigated their residual level, spatial distribution and seasonal distribution characteristics. The risk assessment was evaluated by EPA method. The results show that w(HCHs), w(DDTs) and w(PCBs) were n.d.−17.6 μg·kg^–1, 2.68−66.7 μg·kg^–1 and n.d.−36.8 μg·kg^–1 (wet mass, the same below). HCHs residues accorded with the first-class biological quality evaluation standard in Marine Biological Quality. Besides, 73% of samples had DDTs between the first and the second standards. OCPs and PCBs residues in all samples did not exceed the standard limits in National Food Safety Standard−Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Food, Contaminant. There were no exposure risks and cancer risks were at acceptable level. Compared with the shellfish in other coastal waters, the residues of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in the shellfish in Shandong coastal waters are at medium level.