Residue levels of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in shellfish from coastal areas of east Xiamen Island and Minjiang Estuary, China

Shellfish samples were collected from the coastal cultivating areas of east Xiamen Island and Minjing Estuary, China and analyzed for hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), DDTs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by GC. Concentration ranges of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in the coastal area of east Xiamen Island were 0.18–345, 75.2–2143 and ND-23 ng g−1 dry wt., respectively; those for Minjiang Estuary were ND-5.07, 21.5–2396 and ND-6.78 ng g−1 dry wt., respectively. The results showed that the organochlorines were evidently accumulated in marine bivalve molluscs, particularly in oyster. The concentrations of organocholorine pollutants in shellfish samples varied with the sampling locations, the season of collection and organism species, but were generally higher than those in the sediments. The concentrations of DDTs in the shellfish were high as compared with HCHs and PCBs, so that DDTs can be considered as the typical organochlorines in the survey areas. The residue levels and compositions of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs are discussed.