Occurrence, distribution, and risk assessment of halogenated organic pollutants (HOPs) in marine fish muscle: The case study of Vietnam

Halogenated organic pollutants (HOPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and chlorophenols (CPs), were identified in three marine fish species in Vietnam. Total PCBs, OCPs, and CPs concentrations ranged from 4.5 to 711.6 ng g  1 lipid weight (lw), 69.9-2360 ng g  1 lw, and 208.1-3941.2 ng g  1 lw, respectively. CPs were the most frequently detected pollutants in the marine environment of Vietnam of the three HOPs studied, followed by OCPs and PCBs. There are significant differences in HOPs between three types of seafood in Vietnam, including yellowstripe scad, Indian mackerel, and silver pomfret in this study. Notably, the types and amounts of HOPs found in the fish were differently influenced by the economic and industrial activities of the sampled areas. Despite these findings, the consumption of HOP-contaminated fish from the study areas was found not to pose any significant health risks to Vietnam's coastal population.

Automated summary

Halogenated organic pollutants (HOPs), such as PCBs, OCPs, and CPs, were detected in marine fish species in Vietnam. The concentrations of PCBs, OCPs, and CPs varied across the fish species. CPs were the most frequently found pollutants, followed by OCPs and PCBs. The types and amounts of HOPs in the fish were influenced by the economic and industrial activities in the sampled areas. However, the consumption of HOP-contaminated fish did not pose significant health risks to Vietnam's coastal population.