Methyl lindane and other analogues of hexachlorocyclohexane in dab and plaice from the Mersey Estuary

• Published in: Aquatic toxicology Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 11 - 22
• Main Authors: McNeish, Alexander S., Johnson, Michael S., Leah, Richard T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25-11-1997
• Subjects: Dab; Hexachlorocyclohexane; Limanda limanda; Marine; Mersey Estuary; Methyl lindane; Plaice; Pleuronectes platessa; ANE, British Isles, England, Mersey R. Estuary; Methyl lindane; Hexachlorocyclohexane; Dab; Plaice; Mersey Estuary
• ISSN: 0166-445X; 1879-1514
• DOI: 10.1016/S0166-445X(97)00041-6

Electron impact and chemical ionisation mass spectrometry used in conjunction with
1H and
13C NMR indicate the presence of methyl lindane (1α,2α,3β,4α,5α,6β-hexachloro-l-methyl cyclohexane) (MHCH) in muscle tissue of the demersal flatfish, dab (
Limanda limanda) and plaice (
Pleuronectes platessa), from the Mersey Estuary and inner Liverpool Bay. At least thirteen other peaks occur in the hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) region of the gas chromatograph traces of muscle tissue of Mersey fish, all of which are thought to be other chlorinated homologues or isomers of MHCH. Concentrations of the methyl lindane isomer and its close relatives (∑ MHCH) in fish muscle show a clear gradient from the inner Mersey Estuary outwards into Liverpool Bay.