Food risk characterization from exposure to persistent organic pollutants and metals contaminating eels from an Italian lake

Monitoring environmental contaminants in edible animal species is important for the assessment of environmental quality and for food safety as well. In this study, the occurrence of 2,3,7,8 dioxins, and furans, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, six non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl indicators (ndl-PCBs), seven polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and four metals (As, Hg, Ni, Pb) was evaluated in 90 European eels (<i>Anguilla anguilla</i>) from Lake Garda. The results on eel samples showed a frequent contamination of dl-PCBs, found at concentrations higher than the maximum limit (ML) provided by European Union in 41 % of the eels. Two PBDE congeners (BDE 47 and BDE 99) were detected in almost all the samples. The contamination by PAHs was found negligible; only one sample had a high concentration of benzo[a]pyrene. Concerning metals, Pb showed concentrations higher than the maximum level (ML) in 77% of the samples, while Ni content could be a cause of acute toxicity due to dermatitis. Extreme consumers (95th percentile) are subjected to an actual risk attributable to dioxins, furans, and mainly dl-PCBs and PBDEs. The contamination of Lake Garda eels is therefore a matter of concern and a constant monitoring of the pollution levels of its freshwater is mandatory.

监测食用动物体内的环境污染物，对于环境质量评估与食品安全保障均具有重要意义。本研究针对来自加尔达湖的90尾欧洲鳗鲡（*Anguilla anguilla*）样本，检测分析了2,3,7,8-取代二噁英与呋喃、类二噁英多氯联苯（dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, dl-PCBs）、6种非类二噁英多氯联苯指示物（ndl-PCBs）、7种多溴二苯醚（PBDEs）、4种多环芳烃（PAHs）以及4种金属元素（砷As、汞Hg、镍Ni、铅Pb）的污染发生情况。鳗鲡样本的检测结果显示，类二噁英多氯联苯污染较为普遍：41%的样本中其浓度超出欧洲联盟（European Union）规定的最大限值（maximum limit, ML）。近全部样本中均检出2种多溴二苯醚同系物（BDE 47与BDE 99）。多环芳烃的污染程度可忽略不计，仅1份样本中苯并[a]芘浓度超标。针对金属污染物，77%的样本中铅（Pb）浓度高于最大限值；而镍（Ni）含量可能引发接触性皮炎相关的急性毒性风险。摄入水平处于第95百分位的极端食用人群，会因二噁英、呋喃以及主要为类二噁英多氯联苯与多溴二苯醚的污染物暴露而面临实际健康风险。因此，加尔达湖鳗鲡的污染状况值得警惕，对该湖淡水水体的污染水平开展持续监测实属必要。