Polybrominated diphenil ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pollutants in two species of Antarctic fish

The data set reportes the results on the accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), mono- and non-ortho-polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorodibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs) in the tissues of two species of Antarctic fish (Chionodraco hamatus and Trematomus bernacchii). In general, POP levels were higher in the tissues of T. bernacchii than in C. hamatus and the highest concentrations were found in the liver of both species.
The PBDE levels varied from 160.5 pg g-1 wet wt in C. hamatus muscle to 789.9 pg g-1 wet wt in T. bernacchii liver and were lower than the levels of PCBs. PCBs were the main organochlorine compounds detected and their concentrations ranged from 0.3 ng g-1 wet wt in C. hamatus muscle to 15.1 ng g-1 wet wt in T. bernacchii liver. TEQ concentrations resulted higher in C. hamatus than in T. bernacchii and were due mainly to PCDDs.
Again the greater accumulation of POPs in the tissues of T. bernacchii may be attributable to the ecological differences between the two species. T. bernacchii is a benthic species mainly feeding on other benthic organisms, while C. hamatus mainly eats krill, fish larvae and other small fish