Search

Little is known about the presence and effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in Puerto Rico's waters. Four coastal aquatic systems were investigated using low-density polyethylene passive sampling for PCBs and OCPs in water and its overlying air. The highest total freely dissolved and gaseous concentrations of PCBs were found in Guánica Bay, with 4000 pg/L and 270 pg/m 3 , respectively. Five OCPs were detected, mainly in water, with greatest concentrations (pg/L) in Guánica Bay: α-HCH (7400), p,p'-DDE (390), aldrin (2000), dieldrin (420), and endrin (77). The compound α-HCH was also measured at elevated water concentrations in Condado Lagoon (5700 pg/L) and Laguna Grande (2900 pg/L). Jobos Bay did not show values of concern for these persistence organic pollutants. Levels of PCBs and OCPs in water, particularly in Guánica Bay, exceeded USEPA ambient water quality criteria values representing a human health risk regarding consumption of aquatic organisms.

The various toxic effects associated with inorganic arsenic (iAs) warrants that exposure sources be identified. This pilot study evaluated if greater seafood consumption from Vieques-Puerto Rico is associated with increased exposure to iAs. Nail, hair, and urine samples were used as biomarkers of iAs exposure in adult women and men from Vieques classified as high (n = 31) and low (n = 21) seafood consumers, who reported eating fish and/or shellfish ≥1 time per week and once per month or less, respectively. The sum of urinary iAs (As III + As V), monomethylarsonic acid (MA[V]), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA[V]), denoted as SumAs, fluctuated from 3.3 µg/g Cr (1.2 μg/L) to 42.7 μg/g Cr (42 μg/L) (n = 52). Levels of As in nail samples (n = 49) varied from 0.04 to 0.82 μg/g dry weight (dw), whereas in hair (n = 49) As was only detected in 49 % of the samples with a maximum value of 0.95 μg/g dw. None of the biomarkers of exposure to As exceeded exposure reference values for urine (50 μg/g Cr or 50 μg/L), nails (1 μg/g), or hair (1 μg/g). However, median (10.0 μg/g Cr; 10.6 μg/L) and 95th percentile (31.9 μg/g Cr; 40.4 μg/L) of urinary SumAs were higher in Vieques samples than in the those from the general population of other countries. Among the three biomarkers of exposure, nail samples reflected better the exposure to iAs from seafood consumption with significantly higher average As concentrations in high (0.24 μg/g) than low (0.12 μg/g) seafood consumers. Multivariate results for As in nail samples (R(2) = 0.55, p < 0.0001) showed a positive association with fish consumption, particularly for men, with levels increasing with years of residency in Vieques.

Exposure to metals through fish consumption may represent a health risk, especially for high-fish-consumption populations such as fishing communities in the Jobos Bay and La Parguera areas in Puerto Rico. This study determined levels of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Se, and Zn in muscle tissues of fish from the Jobos Bay and La Parguera (reference site) areas and estimated the health risk posed by fish ingestion to local fishermen and their children. Fish collected included S. cavalla ("sierra"; n = 14), M. undulatus ("roncón"; n = 21), L. synagris ("arrayado"; n = 18), and L. analis ("sama"; n = 11) in the Jobos Bay area and S. regalis (sierra; n = 10) and L. synagris (arrayado; n = 8) in La Parguera. Only As and Hg were detected at levels of human health concern. Average As and Hg levels (μg/g, wet wt) in the four species of Jobos Bay were 0.74 and 0.10 for roncón, 0.83 and 0.09 for sama, 1.00 and 0.26 for sierra, and 2.49 and 0.15 for arrayado, respectively. In La Parguera, average As and Hg levels (μg/g, wet wt) were 0.61 and 0.12 for sierra and 1.27 and 0.20 for arrayado, respectively. At both sites, the species with the highest As levels was arrayado, while for Hg, sierra obtained the highest concentrations. A risk estimation using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard exposure factors, and assuming that 10% of total As is the inorganic form and 100% of the total Hg is methyl Hg, predicted adverse health effects (cancer and noncancer) from fish consumption, being higher for children than for adults. However, speciation of As in fish muscle is recommended for better risk estimates. Sierra fish from Jobos Bay triggered the most restricted consumption advisories for Hg noncancer effects, where a child should not consume >1 fish meal (0.1135 kg)/month and adults should not have >3 fish meals (0.227 kg)/month. Fish consumption advisories, particularly for Hg, should be established by the local government to protect the health of susceptible populations such as children and pregnant or childbearing-age women.

This study provides baseline information on the extent of contamination in sediments of the Jobos Bay estuary and surrounding areas in Puerto Rico. Sediments from Jobos Bay area (n=14) had higher overall average concentrations than those from La Parguera area (n=5, used as reference site), in microg/g dw, for As (17 vs 9), Cu (29 vs 14), Pb (11 vs 4), and Zn (64 vs 28); and in %, for Fe (2.6 vs 0.6). Sediments (n=8) screened for PAHs and PCBs exhibited total concentrations (ng/g dw) that ranged from 40.4 to 1912, and from not detected to 11.21, respectively. The quality of sediments of Jobos Bay could be classified as low to moderate pollution. The proximity to anthropogenic sources of contamination warrants a monitoring program for inorganic and organic pollutants in Jobos Bay area for an effective coastal management program of this tropical ecosystem., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)