Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in sediments from fishing grounds in the NW Mediterranean: Ecotoxicological implications for the benthic fish Solea sp.

Sediment polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorinated pesticides (OCls) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured during winter 2011 at seven sites on the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean). Also at these sites, the benthic fish Solea solea and Solea senegalensis were fished for biomarker analysis. Chemical concentrations did not exceed the values considered safe by sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) for PAHs. However, levels of DDT (94.5 ng/g d.w.) and PCBs (15.1 ng/g d.w.) were significant in the Ebre Delta. Nonspecific immune parameters in S. solea showed a positive correlation between lysozyme activity in plasma and PAH content in sediment (r = 0.982, p < 0.01) and the opposite trend occurred with the complement test (ACH50) (r = −0.837; p < 0.05). Cell counts (monocytes, lymphocytes and granulocytes) were elevated at most PAH-affected sites. A high concentration of bile FACs (fluorescent aromatic compounds) occurred at the northern station.