First evidence of explosives and their degradation products in dab (Limanda limanda L.) from a munition dumpsite in the Baltic Sea
Daniel Koske, Katharina Straumer, Nadine I. Goldenstein, Reinhold Hanel, Thomas Lang, Ulrike Kammann
Abstract
Corrosion and disintegration of munition shells from the World Wars increase the risk that explosives are released into the marine environment, exposing a variety of organisms. Only few studies investigated contamination of fish with explosives in the field under environmental conditions. Here we present a comprehensive study on the contamination status of dab (Limanda limanda) from a munition dumpsite and from reference sites in the Baltic Sea. Bile of 236 dab from four different study sites, including a dumpsite for conventional munitions, was investigated and explosive compounds were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Five explosive compounds were identified, including 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrolouene, and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine. 48% of the samples from the dumpsite contained at least one explosive compound. The results prove that toxic explosive compounds from a dumpsite in the Baltic Sea are accumulated by flatfish and may therefore pose a risk to fish health and human food safety.