Report Cover Sheet 
1. 
Report No. 
UBA-FB 
2. 
3. 
4. 
Report Title 
Identification of Organic Compounds in the North and Baltic Seas 
5. 
Autor(s), Family Name(s), First Name(s) 
Oehme, Michae (1); Theobald, Norbert (2); Baaß, Anne-Christina 
Hüttig, Jana; Reth, Margot; Weigelt-Krenz, Siglinde; 
8. 
Report Date 
31 December 2005 
Zencak, Zdenek, Haarich, Michael (3) 
9. 
Publication Date 
6. 
Performing Organisation (Name, Address) 
1) Organische analytische Chemie, Universität Basel 
Neuhausstr. 31, CH-4057 Basel 
2) Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie 
Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 78, D-20359 Hamburg 
10. 
UFOPLAN-Ref. No. 
200 25 224 
3) Bundesforschungsanstalt für Fischerei, Inst, für Fischereiökologie 
Marckmannstr. 129b, 20539 Hamburg 
11. 
No. of Pages 
244 
7. 
Sponsoring Agency (Name, Address) 
Umweltbundesamt, Postfach 14 06, D-06813 Dessau 
12. 
No. of Reference 
139 
13. 
No. of Tables, Diagrams 
98 
14. 
No. of Figures 
52 
15. 
Supplementary Notes 
16. 
Abstract 
Short-chained (Cio-n, sPCAs) and medium-chained (Ci 4 _i 7 , mPCAs) polychlorinated paraffins as well as 
chlordanes were determined in fish liver (cod, dab, flounder) and sediments from the North and Baltic Seas 
collected during 2002-2004. Fish from the North Atlantic (Iceland, Lofot Islands, Bear Island) was analysed for 
comparison. So far, information about PCA levels did not exist for these areas. Different mass spectrometric 
methods for screening and detailed congener analysis were developed as a first step. s+mPCA concentrations 
were comparable for the North Sea (54-3880 ng/g lipid weight (lw), mean 985 ng/g lw) and the Baltic Sea (90- 
3170 ng/g lw, mean 615 ng/g lw). The highest s+mPCA levels were far above 1 ppm, which is remarkably high. 
s+mPCA levels in cod liver from the remote areas were considerably lower (46-265 ng/g lw, mean 149 ng/g lw). 
PCA levels in sediments from the Baltic Sea (45-377 ng/g dry weight(dw)) were generally higher than in those 
from the North Sea (5-355 ng/g dw), but were quite equal when expressed on total organic carbon (TOC) basis. 
Chlordane concentrations were in the low ng/g range for fish and sediments. 
In addition, the occurrence of chlorpyrifos (-ethyl and -methyl), endosulfan (I and II), triflurlin, dicofol and 
pentachlorophenol (PCP) in water, sediment and biota samples was investigated. So far, nearly no information 
was available on the levels of these pesticides in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Dicofol was not detected in any 
sample (< lng/L); PCP was found in the river Elbe and in few coastal stations (< 0.2 to 1 ng/L). Chlorpyrifos- 
ethyl, endosulfane I, and triflurlin were detected in most samples at very low but similar concentrations. 
Medians were in the range of 15 to 26 pg/L for sea water and of 9 to 29.5 ng/kg dw for sediments. In fish liver 
medians ranging from 1.6 to 1.9 pg/kg lipid were observed. Trifluralin only exhibited a seasonal variation - with 
elevated concentrations in winter. The distributions of the concentrations are best explained by a general diffuse 
background burden at at a very low level. No major input sources were observed. 
17. 
Keywords 
Polychlorinated paraffins, chlordanes, North Sea, Baltic Sea, North Atlantic, fish, sediments, mass spectrometry 
chlorpyrifos-ethyl, chlorpyrifos-methyl), endosulfan, trifluralin, dicofol, pentachlorphenol (PCP) 
sea water 
18. 
Price 
19. 
20.