Hydrocarbon products and their derivatives in fish of the Pechora River, North-Eastern European Russia

Abstract

Analysis of one of the major surface oil spill consequences, which took place in 1994 on the territory of the Pechora River (Russia) catchment area, was carried out. Data on hydrocarbon products and their derivatives concentrations in muscle and liver tissues of several fish species living in the Pechora's Delta and the river tributaries were obtained. Comparative analysis of OCCs, PCBs and PAHs concentrations in 1997 and 2008 showed that levels of all examined pollutants in fish tissues are very low. At the same time, in 2008 OCCs and PCBs concentrations in fish were lower compared to 1997, except for PAHs concentrations in Pechora Delta whitefish, which demonstrate the opposite tendency in relation to two compounds for the last 11 years.

Keywords:

• Organochlorine compounds
• polychlorinated biphenyls
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• fish
• concentration
• liver
• muscles

Acknowledgments

“ConocoPhillips” (Houston, USA) is acknowledged for financial support and “Typhoon” center for supporting analyses.