Distribution of PCBs in tricomponent systems: Water-sediment-bioorganisms in open and closed aquatic ecosystems

Abstract

Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was determined in samples of water, sediment and fish from open and closed freshwater and seawater aquatoria in Serbia and Montenegro (the rivers Sava and Tisa and the fishpond Ecka in Serbia, and the Boka Kotorska Bay in the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro, at the point of Tivat and Bigovo). After extraction and purification, content of PCBs was determined by gas chromatography with electron-capture detector. PCBs residues were detected in all investigated samples. Concentration of PCBs was found to be generally larger in both abiotic and biotic samples from seawater than in freshwater. Open sea aquatorium was less polluted than the semi-closed Boka Kotorska Bay. Distribution trends in freshwater ecosystem showed the opposite - international rivers the Sava and the Tisza were more contaminated than the closed ecosystem of a fishpond, which is the consequence of their geographical location, traffic and economical status.