Organochlorines and heavy metals in wild caught food as a potential human health risk to the indigenous Māori population of South Canterbury, New Zealand.

Abstract Increasing concentrations of anthropogenic contaminants in wild kai (food) of cultural, recreational and economic importance to the indigenous Māori of New Zealand is a potential human health risk. Contaminants that are known to bioaccumulate through the food chain (e.g., organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), PCBs and selected heavy metals) were analysed in important kai species including eel ( Anguilla sp.), brown trout ( Salmo trutta ), black flounder ( Rhombosolea retiaria ) and watercress ( Nasturtium officinale ) from important harvesting sites in the region of South Canterbury. Eels contained relatively high wet weight concentrations of p,p′-DDE (8.6–287 ng/g), PCBs ( 32 Σ PCB ; 0.53–58.3 ng/g), dieldrin (