Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine fish may pose a health risk to human consumers. Using data from ∼8400 individuals of 15 fish species collected in the North-East Atlantic Ocean (NEAO), we assessed concentrations of individual POP congeners, including dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). POPs analyses were performed with accredited methods using high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry, gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and GC/MS. The results showed that POPs congener composition profiles were more influenced by fish species than by geography. However, due to long range transport from emissions at lower latitudes, lighter congeners made a larger contribution to the total POPs concentrations in the northernmost areas compared to southern regions. A model was developed to elucidate the relative effects of several factors on POPs concentrations and showed that variation among and within fish species was associated with fat content, fish size, trophic position, and latitude. For the first time, POPs concentrations were shown to increase nonlinearly with fat content, reaching an asymptotic plateau when fat content was > 10%. This study explored detailed POP congener profiles and the factors associated with POPs accumulation in commercially relevant fish harvested from the NEAO.

海洋鱼类中持久性有机污染物（POP）的生物累积可能对人类消费者造成健康风险。我们利用在东北大西洋 (NEAO) 收集的 15 种鱼类约 8400 条个体的数据，评估了各种持久性有机污染物同系物的浓度，包括二恶英、多氯联苯 (PCB) 和多溴二苯醚 (PBDE)。采用高分辨率气相色谱/高分辨率质谱、气相色谱/串联质谱 (GC-MS/MS) 和 GC/MS 等认可方法进行持久性有机污染物分析。结果表明，POPs 同系物组成特征更多地受到鱼类种类的影响，而不是地理的影响。然而，由于低纬度地区排放物的长距离传输，与南部地区相比，较轻的同系物对最北部地区 POPs 总浓度的贡献更大。开发了一个模型来阐明几个因素对持久性有机污染物浓度的相对影响，并表明鱼类之间和鱼类内部的变化与脂肪含量、鱼类大小、营养位置和纬度有关。首次发现 POPs 浓度随脂肪含量呈非线性增加，当脂肪含量 > 10% 时达到渐近稳定水平。本研究探讨了详细的 POP 同系物概况以及与从 NEAO 捕获的商业相关鱼类中 POP 积累相关的因素。开发了一个模型来阐明几个因素对持久性有机污染物浓度的相对影响，并表明鱼类之间和鱼类内部的变化与脂肪含量、鱼类大小、营养位置和纬度有关。首次发现 POPs 浓度随脂肪含量呈非线性增加，当脂肪含量 > 10% 时达到渐近稳定水平。本研究探讨了详细的 POP 同系物概况以及与从 NEAO 捕获的商业相关鱼类中 POP 积累相关的因素。开发了一个模型来阐明几个因素对持久性有机污染物浓度的相对影响，并表明鱼类之间和鱼类内部的变化与脂肪含量、鱼类大小、营养位置和纬度有关。首次发现 POPs 浓度随脂肪含量呈非线性增加，当脂肪含量 > 10% 时达到渐近稳定水平。本研究探讨了详细的 POP 同系物概况以及与从 NEAO 捕获的商业相关鱼类中 POP 积累相关的因素。