Polychlorinated biphenyls in muscle tissue of freshwater fish in East Slovakia

Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in freshwater fish in the area of Chemko Strazske were compared to those of other regions of the Slovak Republic. The highest average PCB levels in samples from lake Zemplinska Sirava were identified in goldfish (108.8 mg.kg(-1)) and the lowest ones in brown trout (13.7 mg.kg(-1)). The average values measured for the country in general ranged between 0.01 and 5.1 mg.kg(-1) (northern pike and goldfish); the PCB levels measured in the contaminated area were 14 to 6 900 times higher than those in other regions of the country. Samples from the contaminated area showing values exceeding the limits made up as many as 75.8% (9.5% for the other regions of Slovakia).