Occurrence of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in green mussels (Perna viridis) from Singapore, Southeast Asia

The green mussel, Perna viridis, was used in this study to measure levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and, for the first time, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in the marine environment. Samples were collected from eight different locations in the coastal waters of Singapore between April and May 2002. Forty-one PCB and 21 PBDE congeners were quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and were all positively detected in the mussel tissues. Total concentrations in green mussel tissues ranged from 6.1 to 82 ng/g and 2.0 to 38 ng/g on a dry-weight basis for PCBs and PBDEs, respectively. Such levels reflect the ubiquity of these persistent organic pollutants in a tropical marine environment. Principal component analysis was applied to the PCB data and revealed similarities in the congener composition of mussel tissues to that of the commercial PCB mixture, Aroclor 1254. The PBDE levels, to date, were approximately one order of magnitude greater than the upper concentrations reported for blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) tissues in Europe. At some sampling sites, the congener composition of PBDEs in P. viridis tissues indicated recent exposure to a commercial pentabrominated flame retardant.