Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wild marine fish from the coastal waters of the northern South China Sea: Risk assessment for human health

摘要

Little data are available on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in marine fish associated with oil and gas activities from the South China Sea (SCS). Twenty-one wild marine fish species from the northern South China Sea were collected for analysis of the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The total concentration of the PAHs (Sigma(16)PAHs) ranged from 199 to 606 ng.g(-1) d.w., indicating moderate contamination. PAHs in fish species found in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) were significantly higher than those from the Yachen (YC) gas fields (p < 0.05). Planktivorous fish exhibited significantly higher concentrations of PAHs than carnivorous and omnivorous fish (p < 0.05). The PAHs were dominated by three ring compounds. Source identification analyses indicated that the PAH pollution originated from petroleum inputs. The cancer and non cancer risk assessments concluded that the probable risk associated with the intake of PAHs via fish consumption is minimal. Long-term monitoring is necessary to determine the ecological impacts of PAHs associated with oil and gas activities.