Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in black cormorants breeding at the coast of the Gulf of Gdansk, Baltic Sea

Concentrations, composition profiles and biomagnification of polychlorinated biphenyls non-ortho (IUPAC nos 77, 126, 169), mono-ortho (105, 114, 118, 123, 156, 157, 167, 189) and total PCBs were investigated in black cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) breeding at the coast of the Gulf of Gdansk, Baltic Sea. Total PCB concentrations in birds were in the range from 750 to 5200 ng/g wet wt ( from 19000 to 110000 ng/g lipid wt) in the breast muscles and from 440 to 4200 ng/g, wet wt (13000 to 69000 ng/g lipid wt) in liver. Penta-, hexa and hepta-CBs were dominating homologue classes both in the muscle tissue and liver. PCB congeners nos. 201, 209, 172/192. 194 and 195 were characterized by the greatest bioaccumulation factors (between 100 and 300). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has been used to analyse accumulation pattern and interdependences among CB congeners.