Multivariate analysis applied to the study of the distribution of chlorobiphenyls (CBs), including the non-ortho-CBs, in fish and sea mammals

Abstract

Twenty-one individual chlorobiphenyls (CBs), including the most toxic non-ortho-CBs, were determined in 52 samples of sea mammals, harbour porpoise (Phoceana phoceana), dabs (Limanda limanda), seals (Phoca vitulina) and dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The toxic non-ortho-CBs and mono-ortho-CBs were isolated from the di- and tri-ortho-CBs using a pyrenylsilica HPLC column prior to the final determination by GC with electron-capture detection. The distribution of the CBs in the different species were studied by principal component analysis. Separations of males and females, young and adult individuals and the different species of sea mammals were obtained based on the degree of accumulation of CBs.