Pesticide Residues in Fish - Pesticides: Evaluation of Environmental Pollution - page 367

a few species and sizes of fish contain relatively large amounts. These include larger older
fish, some carnivorous species, and fish from polluted waters.
The concentration of pesticides in fish is the consequence of the pollution of the environ-
ment in which they live. In order to ensure food safety, opening of the market to import,
and consumer awareness to pesticides or environmental pollutants, a number of studies
have been carried out to monitor the amount of pesticides present in fish from various
sources and countries.
Fish inhabiting coastal areas have often been proposed as sentinels for monitoring pol-
lutants of land-based origin, because they may concentrate indicative hydrophobic com-
pounds in their tissues, directly from water through respiration and also through the diet.
The red mullet ( Mullus barbatus ) is a benthic and territorial fish of commercial interest in
the NW Mediterranean region, which has been used in several studies of coastal pollution
monitoring (Porte and Albaigés 2002; UNEP 1997). Fish were collected from 10 stations
along the Spanish, French, and Corsica and Sardinia coasts, to grant a wide coverage of
the area encompassing large pollution gradients. The major pesticides identified in fish
tissues were p,p′-DDT, their metabolites p,p′-DDD and p,p′-DDE, and hexachlorobenzene
(HCB). The highest concentrations (up to 230 ng/g ww) were found in the area of influence
of Barcelona (stations 2-4), whereas the lowest (<1 ng/g ww) were found in Corsica and
Sardinia Islands (stations 9 and 10). Tissue concentration ranges may then be considered as
representative of pristine, moderately contaminated, and highly contaminated areas, and
they are consistent with those found in sediments (Tolosa et al. 1995), supporting the close
relationship of the red mullet uptake with the benthic environment.
Regional surveys on the pesticide residues (organochlorines) in fish and fish products
were conducted in Southeast Asia (SEAFDEC member countries). A total of eight coun-
tries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,
and Vietnam, participated in JTF II (Japanese Trust Fund) project on research and analy-
sis of chemical residues and contamination in fish and fish products. The participating
regional laboratories conducted a survey each in their respective countries. Fish and fish
products that are of economic and social importance to the participating countries were
targeted. Samples of fish and fish products were sent to their local or collaborating labo-
ratories for analysis. Dried products from both marine and freshwater species as well as
fish and fish products that are dried or from inland and estuarine waters and rivers were
also targeted. A total of 35 fish and fish products were surveyed. The results of the survey
were submitted in the database of the Fish and Fish Products Safety Information Network.
From the results of the surveys conducted on pesticide residues, only a few samples have
exceeded national or international regulatory limits. It can therefore be concluded that the
fish and fish products from these countries are safe for both domestic consumption and
export (Japanese Trust Fund II Project on Research and Analysis of Chemical Residues and
Contamination in Fish and Fish Products 2004-2008).
Fish are a valuable source of high-grade proteins, and they occupy an important posi-
tion in the socioeconomic condition of the South Asian countries by providing the pop-
ulation not only the nutritious food but also income and employment opportunities.
India ranks second in the world in inland fish production. West Bengal is the largest
producer of inland fish and consumes 11.67 lakh tons of it annually, the highest among
all the states in India. The rivers in West Bengal are the major source of fish. At the
same time, these rivers are the sink of the effluents generated from the industries and
the usage of households (Chowdhury et al. 1994). As a consequence, there is a like-
lihood of bioaccumulation of organic and inorganic pollutants such as heavy metals
and pesticides in fish and other aquatic organisms, and without proper monitoring