PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in krill, birds and water from Antarctica

The concentration levels of various congeners of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides were determined in krill, bird (emperor penguin) feathers and polynya water from different places around Dakshin Gangotri, Antarctica. t-HCH (alpha + gamma isomers) was found to be present in considerable amounts in krill (141.3-164.3 pg g(-1)) but much less in penguin feathers (103.6-112.8 pg g(-1)) and polynya water (85.690.7 pg l(-1)). t-DDT (pp'-DDT + op'-DDT + pp'-DDE + op'-DDE) was detected in the range 31.1-44.4 pg g(-1) in krill, 30.8-35.7 pg g(-1) in the feathers and 24.8-26.5 pg l(-1) in polynya water. A few congeners of PCBs were identified and quantified in all the samples, e.g. CB-101, CB-136, CB-151, CB-118, CB-153, CB-138. The concentration levels of PCBs in different samples are in the range 146.9-166.2 pg g(-1) in krill, 105.8-113.6 pg g(-1) in penguin feathers, and 96.8-103.8 pg l(-1) in polynya water.