Occurrence of Dechlorane Plus and related compounds in catfish (Silurus spp.) from rivers in France

Dechlorane related compounds (DRCs), including Dechlorane Plus (syn-DP and anti-DP), Dechlorane-601, -602, -603 and Chlordene Plus (CP), constitute a group of polychlorinated flame retardants (FRs) that are still of industrial use. In particular, DRCs have been detected in various environmental matrices and in different aquatic and terrestrial biota, thus exhibiting bioaccumulation and biomagnification potentials. The present study aimed at producing first occurrence data of a range of DRCs in Silurus spp. samples from different rivers located in France. Determination was carried out by gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry after a sample clean-up based on a multilayer silica column and gel permeation chromatography. The concentration of monitored ΣDRCs ranged from 1.58 to 408 pg g−1 wet weight (54–11100 pg g−1 lipid weight). The fractional abundance of syn- and anti-DP stereoisomers was similar to that reported by other studies with an average equal to 0.60. Dec-601 was not detected in any sample. Detection frequencies ranged between 34 and 100% for other DRCs. Investigated correlations between DRCs and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) suggest a link with lipid content but independent contamination sources. [Display omitted] •A method involving acidic silica, GPC and GC-EI-HRMS was developed for DRCs.•Concentrations of DRCs were determined in 102 catfish samples from French rivers.•Detection frequencies were high but contamination levels were rather low.•Determined fanti for DP isomers showed a high variability from 0.32 to 0.88.•Correlations between DRCs and with PCBs were moderate on a lw basis.