PCBs in cod (Gadus morhua), flounder (Platichthys flesus), blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and brown shrimp (Crangon crangon) from the Belgian continental shelf: relation to biological parameters and trend analysis.

PCB levels in cod, flounder, mussel and shrimp, covering a ten-year period, were assessed for temporal trends and their relation to biological parameters. A significant relation was found between the PCB levels on a wet weight basis and the total lipid content. Normalising on the total lipid content reduced the differences in PCB levels between the organisms and between different tissues within the organisms. A general downward trend was observed for the PCB levels on the Belgian continental shelf.