Are aromatic hydrocarbons an adequate marker to reflect exposure and contamination of marine foods?
Yes, aromatic hydrocarbons are a good indicator of the presence of crude oil. Dibenzothiophenes are characteristic of crude oils. • How do levels of PAHs compare to other finfish tested? Two samples of subsistence smoked salmon prepared in a traditional manner contained 8,170 and 22,400 ppb of total aromatic hydrocarbons, respectively. By comparison, levels of total aromatic hydrocarbons found in finfish thus far are generally very low (less than 15 ppb) and are not significantly greater than in the non-polluted areas tested. Less than 1% of fish tested had levels of total aromatic hydrocarbons slightly in excess of 100 ppb. • Any restrictions on amounts that can be eaten? None for fish and none for mollusks taken from beaches that have not been obviously contaminated with oil. • What do we believe will be the long-term fate of crude oil? The oil will be biodegraded eventually; however, pockets of oil in various forms exist throughout the area. As finfish move into shallow areas, water
