September 17, 2025

Occurrence and distribution of persistent organic pollutants in water, sediment and fish from Fierza Lake, Albania: Seasonal assessment using GC-MS/MS

IOIlirjana Osmani AHArben HaziriUniversity of Prishtina BMBledar MyrtajUniversity of Tirana

Key Points

Total PCB concentrations in water, sediment, and fish samples varied significantly, indicating pollution.
The study found specific OCP levels that exceeded EU environmental quality standards for surface water.
Analysis utilized GC-MS/MS to assess the presence of PAHs alongside PCBs and OCPs in collected samples.
Findings highlight concerns related to bioaccumulation and human health risks from contaminated fish consumption.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in water, sediment and fish samples from Fierza Lake, Albania. Water, sediment and fish samples were collected in December 2023 and May 2024. The samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by using GC-MS/MS. Total PCB concentrations in water, sediment and fish ranged from < MDL to 4.372 ± 0.957 μg/L, < MDL to 4.217 ± 0.968 μg/kg and < MDL to 5.849 ± 0.953 μg/kg, respectively. PAHs in water, sediment and fish samples ranged from < MDL to 0.195 ± 0.061 μg/L, < MDL to 0.203 ± 0.067 μg/kg and < MDL to 0.227 ± 0.072 μg/kg, respectively. OCP concentrations in water, sediment and fish ranged from < MDL to 3.626 ± 1.058 μg/L, < MDL to 3.032 ± 0.724 μg/kg and < MDL to 3.558 ± 1.108 μg/kg, respectively. The highest detected concentrations of PCBs and specific OCPs surpassed the Environmental quality standards established by the European Union's Water-Framework Directive for surface water and aquatic biota. These exceedances indicate potential ecological risks and pose concerns regarding bioaccumulation and human health through the consumption of contaminated fish.

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