US EPA

2182282 

Journal Article 

CONTAMINANTS IN FISH FROM AQUACULTURE .2. MUSK XYLENE AND MUSK KETONE CONTAMINANTS IN FISH 

Rimkus, G; Wolf, M 

1993 

1 

Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau
ISSN: 0012-0413 

89 

6 

171-175 

WOS:A1993LL98300001 

In the course of the German Food Contamination Monitoring Programme (1990-1992) altogether 15 samples of German and 43 samples of imported rainbow trouts (Salmo gairdneri irideus) were analyzed for the nitro musks musk xylene, musk ketone, musk ambrette, musk moskene, and musk tibetene. Futhermore, in 1991/1992 these compounds were analyzed in 26 fish and 9 mussel samples from waters in Northern Germany. Due to their relatively low polarity and high lipophilicity these tri- und dinitro aromatics are analyzed - similar to the organochlorine pesticides and PCB - after fat extraction and subsequent clean-up by gel permeation and silica gel adsorption chromatography by capillary gas chromatography (GC/ECD). The detected contaminants were identified and thus confirmed by mass spectrometry (EI and NCI). For the analysis of fish samples with a complex pattern of contaminants, the application of the SIM mode for the GC/MS/NCI measurements is recommended due to its high sensitivity and selectivity. In trout samples from ponds in Schleswig-Holstein low musk xylene contents (max. 0.09 mg/kg fat) were determined; however, some samples of imported trouts contained remarkably high concentrations of musk xylene (max. 1.06 mg/kg fat, i. e. 0.048 mg/kg fish) and musk ketone (max. 0.33 mg/kg fat). Low contents of musk ambrette were detected as well; the contents of musk moskene and musk tibetene residues did noch reach the limit of determination. In the mussel samples low musk xylene and musk ketone concentrations were determined, whereas the fish samples from waters in Northern Germany contained concentrations which varied with the pollution of the respective water (max. 0.35 mg musk xylene/kg fat, 0.38 mg musk ketone/kg fat). The determined contents in the trouts of local origin and in all fish and mussel samples indicate that these lipophilic and persistent substances, which are extensively utilized as fragrances in the industrial production of cosmetics and detergents, are ubiquitiously dispersed in aquatic systems. The source of contamination which led to the high musk xylene (and musk ketone) contents in some samples of imported trouts cannot be allocated yet. For the proper judgement of these toxicologically relevant contaminants according to the German food legislation, legal maximum residue limits are urgently needed.