Persistent organic pollutant content in cod (Gadus morhua L.) from the Barents Sea region

The aim of this study was to examine levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in cod from the Barents Sea. Samples were collected in two regions, the warm waters of the West Spitsbergen Current, where surface temperatures are typically 3.5-6.5°C, and the cold waters of the East Spitsbergen Current, where the surface temperature is generally -1.5-1.5°C.

The concentrations of selected POPs were analysed in muscle and liver tissues of cod. The observed POPs content were lower than in comparable samples from urban regions. Significant differences were seen between the POPs contents in samples of cod from the two regions. These differences can be attributed to the distinct characteristics of the two water bodies, the West and East Spitsbergen Currents.