RETRACTED: Threats of indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in six molluscs from market to food safety: A case study in Haikou City, China

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in marine molluscs could be a serious threat to the health of consumers; however, studies on this subject are limited. To understand this threat, the indicator PCBs (PCB-28, PCB-52, PCB-101, PCB-118, PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180) found in six different kinds of molluscs were determined, and the associated cancer risk for consumers that intake these indicator PCBs via molluscs was assessed. The total concentrations of PCBs in molluscs ranged from 17.51 to 47.43 ng/g (d.w.). The order of contamination levels for indicator PCBs in molluscs was Perna viridis > Ruditapes philippinarum > Crassostrea gigas > Mimachlamys nobilis > Glossaulax didyma > Anadara antiquata. Tri-, tetra- and penta-PCBs were the dominant congeners in molluscs from Haikou City. Tetra-PCBs are the most common PCB, accounting for 38.49% of total PCBs. Compared with previous global studies on PCBs in molluscs, the pollution level of indicator PCBs in the molluscs from Haikou City was lower than most of reports in Europe and China, but higher than those from France and Korea, suggesting a moderate pollution level. The 50% and 95% cancer risks of indicator PCBs in molluscs for adult consumers were 2.75 × 10-7 and 4.32 × 10-7, indicating that the cancer risk was at an acceptable level. Since the dioxin like-PCBs were not analyzed in this study, the cancer risk of PCBs to human health might be underestimated; therefore, more studies on PCB pollution in molluscs are required.