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© Anja Bunge / Thünen-Institut
[Translate to English:]
Institute of

FI Fisheries Ecology

Project

Fluorinated pollutants in fish from German coastal areas



© Maike v. Klinkowstöm

Background and Objective

Contamination with per- and polyfluorinated compounds such as PFAS in marine fish is a growing environmental problem. PFAS are persistent and bioaccumulative, which means that they can accumulate in organisms. Studies have shown that marine fish living in contaminated waters have high concentrations of PFAS, which can lead to health risks for fish and consumers. Due to the complexity of measuring these parameters, not every routine laboratory carries out these measurements. The EMPEREST project, which collected all available PFAS data in the HELCOM area, revealed gaps in the data for the MSRL monitoring. The here descroibed project  "PFAS-Fisch" aims to partially address these gaps. Thisprojectaimstoimprovetheexisting MSFD.

Approach

The project aims to study the presence of pollutants known as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in fish from German coastal marine areas in order to assess the contamination. PFAS are mandatory parameters to be measured in the MSFD monitoring. 

Fish muscle samples from flatfish caught in German coastal areas will be examined as part of this study.

Data and Methods

Liste of possible PFAS chemicals

Name 

Short name

CAS-No.

Perfluoroctansulfonat

PFOS

1763-23-1

Perfluorooctanoic Acid

PFOA

335-57-1

Perfluorononanoic Acid

PFNA

375-95-1

Perfluorodecanoic Acid

PFDA

335-76-2

Perfluoroundecanoic Acid

PFUnDA

2058-94-8

Perfluorotridecanoic Acid

PFTrDA

72629-94-8

Perfluorotetradecanoic Acid

PFTreA

376-06-7

Results

  • PFAS concentrations and profiles in dab from the German Bight showed distinct regional differences.
  • Of the PFAS examined, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the quantitatively dominant substance in all samples. In some cases, the threshold values for PFOS and PFOA in food were exceeded. However, environmental threshold values were not exceeded.
  • Statistical analysis of the PFAS patterns suggests different sources for individual PFAS compounds.

Funding Body

  • Bundesland Niedersachsen
    (national, öffentlich)

Duration

7.2024 - 12.2024

More Information

Project status: finished

Supported by "Bund-Länder-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Nord- und Ostsee" (BLANO)

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