Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in marine gastropod Hexaplex trunculus: Compliance with European Union legislation

PCBs including “indicator” and “dioxin-like” congeners were measured in a marine gastropod, Hexaplex trunculus, from Mediterranean areas exposed to anthropogenic pressure, to evaluate their compliance with European Union (EU) legislation. Total PCB concentrations showed location-dependent variation, and were higher in samples from Ionian Sea-Taranto (1001 ng g−1 lipid weight) compared with those from Adriatic Sea-Bari (519 ng g−1 lipid weight) and Adriatic-Sea-Brindisi (253 ng g−1 lipid weight). All sample concentrations were compliant with EU regulation limits for the sum of six “indicator” PCBs (Ionian Sea-Taranto: 40.7 ng g−1 wet weight; Adriatic Sea-Bari: 24.0 ng g−1 wet weight; Adriatic Sea-Brindisi: 11.0 ng g−1 wet weight). Also “dioxin-like” PCBs content expressed as toxic equivalent (TEQ) values, in samples from Adriatic Sea (Adriatic Sea-Bari: 2.48 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight; Adriatic Sea-Brindisi: 2.14 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight), were below the limit, while the specimens from the Ionian Sea (Ionian Sea-Taranto: 3.53 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight) showed levels exceeding the maximum threshold.