Explosives leaking from dumped munition contaminate fish from German coastal waters: a reason for chronic effects?

Background Conventional munition dumped into the North Sea and the Baltic Sea close to the German coastline is corroding. A major concern is that biota, including fish, are negatively affected by toxic explosives leaking into marine environments. With the present study, we investigated fish living in close proximity to munition dumping sites for contamination and for signs of health impairments. The flat fish species common dab (Limanda limanda) was used as a model, since it lives in the vicinity of dumping sites and exhibits minor migratory activity. Since explosives are excreted via the bile, the bile fluids from dab were analysed. Further on we inspected the health status of the fish. Results Dab caught in German coastal waters of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea were contaminated with explosives. Probably due to rapid metabolization, concentrations of the explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) were always below limit of detection, but its metabolites 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene were detected in bile fluid up to 26.36 ng/ml and 95.91 ng/ml, respectively. Only few fish from the Baltic Sea were positive for the explosive HMX, octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine with a maximum concentration of 0.89 ng/ml. Highest concentrations of TNT metabolites in bile fluid were detected in dab collected near the dumping site “Kolberger Heide” in the bay of Kiel (Baltic Sea). However, also dab from the North Sea were significantly contaminated with TNT metabolites. Conclusions The present study showed for the first time that fish living close to near shore munition dumping sites in the North Sea are contaminated with explosives. Various health indicators (body condition factors, externally visible fish diseases, parasites or liver anomalies) showed differences in health status between fish living in the North Sea and in the Baltic Sea, respectively. However, the health status of fish caught at the most contaminated site in the Baltic Sea was not worse compared to fish living in less contaminated areas. We conclude that fish living in the vicinity of dumping sites in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea can be significantly contaminated with explosives. However, obvious health impairments of the fish were not observed.