Chlorinated hydrocarbons in pelagic organisms from the open Mediterranean Sea

Pelagic organisms from the central and eastern basins of the Mediterranean Sea were surveyed for chlorinated hydrocarbon residues. Levels in selected macrozooplankton and nekton, as well as mixed microplankton, were compared with those in similar species from other oceanic areas. Although data are sparse, PCBs in macrozooplankton and nekton do not appear to differ significantly from concentrations in similar species measured elsewhere. In the case of mixed microplankton, there was a trend towards slightly lower values in the Mediterranean samples. Differences between our results and those reported previously for other oceanic regions are discussed.