Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the marine food web: herrings from the southern Baltic Sea (Clupea harengus) — penguins from the zoo (Spheniscus demersus)

The aim of this project was to study the fate of chemically persistent organochlorine xenobiotics in the marine link of the food web, between penguins and herrings (Clupea harengus), which are the only food for Spheniscus demersus from the Gdańsk Zoo. Concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCBz), pentachlorobenzene (PCBz), trichlorobenzene (TCBz) and the γ-HCH isomer were determined in Baltic herrings, in muscles, fat and liver of penguins, unhatched eggs, contour feathers and guano. The highest concentrations of fungicides were observed for HCBz. Fungicides were not detected in the liver of penguins and herrings. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for fungicides reached the highest values in the penguin brain. The highest biomagnification factor (BMF) for PCBz was determined in the muscle tissue and for lindane — in liver. It was confirmed that detoxification of penguins occurred through deposition of fungicides and lindane in guano and through epithelial tissue and eggs.