DDX Concentrations in Fish Tissue and Sediment from the Southern California Bight

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an insecticide that is resistant
to degradation and can cause increased risks of cancer, premature births,
developmental abnormalities, and neurological diseases in humans and
animals. Although banned in 1972, DDT was dumped into the ocean off the
coast of southern California for decades. Recent documentation of the
extent of this contamination has captured the attention of the public and
raised concerns regarding the consumption of contaminated seafood. The
state of California currently issues consumption advisories for coastal
communities, but these advisories do not address DDT. To fill this gap and
improve advisory accessibility, SaferSeafood has partnered with Scripps
Institution of Oceanography and the California Cooperative Oceanic
Fisheries Investigations, who collected data on the incidence of DDT in
sediments and fish in nearshore southern California waters. Using this
data, we updated and validated their spatiotemporal statistical model to
predict DDT concentrations in fish based on species and location. We then
integrated this model into an interactive web application that allows
anglers to receive predicted DDT concentrations in the fish they have just
caught, along with serving size recommendations and other relevant
advisories. The results of this project will allow individuals to make
well-informed decisions about their seafood choices in the face of
environmental challenges and health risks associated with DDT
contamination.