Quantitative determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in marine organisms analysed by high resolution gas chromatography selected ion monitoring

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) in the selected ion monitoring mode was used to measure PCB contamination in some marine organisms collected in Augusta Bay (Sicily, Italy). Quantitation was based on previously published data relative to the molecular ion analytical response of some single polychlorinated biphenyls to electron impact mass spectrometry detection. By this approach it was possible to measure the level of each polychlorinated biphenyl group having the same number of chlorine atoms. High concentrations of PCBs (2.3 to 6.1 ppm) were found in the edible part of some samples.The PCB composition pattern showed that contamination was generally due to hexachlorobiphenyls and to lesser extent to penta and hepta-chlorobiphenyls. Octa and tetra-chlorobiphenyls were present at high molar percentages in only a few samples.