Swimming in poison - An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish｜Greenpeace

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Swimming in Poison

——An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Why does Greenpeace focus on hazardous chemicals?

The society we live in is pervaded by tens of thousands of different man-made chemicals. We already know that some of them are hazardous to our health or to the environment; but a far greater number of them have never even been tested properly, especially under conditions of long-term use and exposure. Even so, we find hazardous man-made chemicals in many everyday products, including clothes, food, detergents, paints, furniture, toys, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and electronic goods. Some of these are becoming increasingly present in water, air, soil and living organisms as a result of being released during manufacturing, use, and/or disposal.

Not all hazardous chemicals are man-made. Some toxic metals – such as lead, cadmium and mercury – occur naturally in the earth’s crust. However, they have only become so widely dispersed in the biosphere – where they can cause widespread toxic effects on both humans and wildlife – because they have been extracted and used by humans.

What are hazardous chemicals?

A hazardous chemical is one that has – at some point during its manufacture, use or disposal – the potential to harm people, other living organisms, or the environment, due to its intrinsic hazardous properties. A hazardous chemical can either be man-made or it may occur naturally in the environment. Hazardous properties include: Persistence (chemicals that do not readily break down in the environment as the result of biodegradation or other processes) Bio – accumulation (chemicals that can accumulate in organisms, and whose concentration can even increase further along the food chain) Carcinogenic properties (chemicals that can cause cancer) Mutagenicity (chemicals that have the capacity to induce mutation and genetic defects) Toxicity towards the reproductive system (chemicals that can harm the reproductive system, including its development) or the nervous system The capability to disrupt endocrine (hormone) systems

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Swimming in Poison

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Why are hazardous chemicals such a problem?

Unfortunately, it is very difficult, if not impossible; to remove hazardous chemicals or control the risks they create after they have been released into the environment. The more environmentally persistent chemicals cannot be effectively contained or destroyed using traditional “end-of-pipe” measures, including the processes commonly used in wastewater treatment plants. Instead, they either pass through to the effluent unchanged, or else they accumulate in the treatment plant “sludges”, which then become hazardous wastes themselves. Such persistent chemicals can cause harm over a long period of time. They may even cause harmful impact far away from the place where they were initially released into the environment and long after any controls have been introduced, because they can travel long distances in air or water, and then become re-concentrated to harmful levels through food chains. The social and environmental costs of hazardous chemical exposure – although complex to determine and poorly assessed – are almost certainly extremely high.

The most effective way to address the problems associated with hazardous substances is to ensure that their discharge is rapidly reduced to zero, and ultimately to remove them from commerce by replacing them with less hazardous – preferably non-hazardous – alternatives (the “principle of substitution”). This can be achieved by focusing “upstream” in industrial terms; meaning systematically rethinking and redesigning products and processes in a way that progressively reduces the reliance of industries on hazardous chemicals.

Swimming in Poison

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

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Swimming Fishing in the Yangtze Riverin Poison QIU Bo/Greenpeace

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Table of Contents

02

07

Executive Summary

Information on the Chemicals Tested Introduction to Alkylphenols Introduction to PFCs

03

12

Methodology

The Yangtze River and Industrial Pollution

05

15

Key Findings

Conclusion

06

16

Analysis

References

Swimming in Poison

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Executive Summary The presence of hazardous chemicals in the environment, both from industrial sources and as a result of product waste disposal, has been a concern for many years.

In China, this concern has become more pressing in recent years. While most countries in the world have greatly reduced the production and use of many of the most hazardous chemicals, largely by means of new legislation, in China both production and use have increased considerably.

This Greenpeace analysis has tested fish from China’s longest river, the Yangtze River, and has demonstrated the presence of a number of hazardous chemicals.

Between January and March 2010, samples of common carp and southern catfish — both of which are commonly eaten in China — were collected from four cities along the Yangtze River: Chongqing, Wuhan, Ma’anshan and Nanjing. The fish were then tested for a range of hazardous chemicals, including heavy metals and hazardous organic chemicals. Heavy metals in this case included mercury, lead and cadmium; the hazardous organic chemicals included perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and alkylphenols.

In almost all samples, hazardous chemicals were found – an alarming indication of larger scale contamination in the Yangtze River. Among the identified substances were perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS), a type of PFC used for water repellent coatings in products such as food wrappings, clothing, carpets and leather. Greenpeace also found nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP), two alkylphenols whose derivates are widely used in

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detergents, textile and leather finishers.

These man-made chemicals have been proven to be hazardous to living organisms. They can act as an endocrine disruptor and accumulate in the body for long periods of time. Unfortunately, the production and use of PFCs and alkylphenols have grown considerably in China – at a time when they have declined in most other countries.

While the Chinese government has set maximum allowed concentration levels for the discharge of mercury, cadmium and lead in the water, there are no regulations for the production, use and release of alkylphenols and PFCs. The same is true for the majority of hazardous chemicals that are currently used in China.

China needs to urgently develop an environmentally sound management system for toxic chemicals 1. This should include an increased understanding of the current uses and releases of as wide a range of hazardous substances as possible.

Ultimately, the most effective measures are those that replace hazardous chemicals with less hazardous, and preferably non-hazardous, alternatives in manufacturing processes.

Monitoring, substantially reducing, and eventually eliminating the entry of hazardous chemicals into China’s waters – and thus creating a clean, toxic-free environment – should be the joint responsibility of the government and industrial enterprises.

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Methodology Between January and March 2010, samples of freshly caught common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) were obtained from four locations along the course of the Yangtze River (Chongqing, Wuhan, Ma’anshan and Nanjing). Southern catfish (Silurus soldatovi meridionalis) were caught from only three of these locations (Chongqing, Wuhan and Nanjing), due to the scarcity of catfish in Ma’anshan during the sampling period. In all cases, four individual fish of each species were collected per location, which are labelled on a map on the right.

南京 Nanjing 武汉 Wuhan

马鞍山 Ma'anshan

重庆 Chongqing

Sampling locations along the Yangtze River

Sampling. upper right: common carp; lower right: catfish

These sites were chosen as they are major industrial cities located in the upper, middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River. The two sampled species are widely distributed along the Yangtze River and also commonly eaten in China.

In all cases, the samples of freshly caught fish were provided by local fishermen or retailers. In order to avoid contamination or cross-contamination of the samples, each fish was individually wrapped in sheets of new, clean

Greenpeace

aluminium foil and placed inside transparent polyethylene bags. All samples were frozen as soon as possible after collection and stored in the dark. They were then transported to Greenpeace Research Laboratory at Exeter University, UK. For detailed description of the sampling and analytical methodologies please refer to Greenpeace Research Laboratories Technical Note 07/2010 (hereafter referred to as Technical Note)2.

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Fishing in the Yangtze River

QIU Bo/Greenpeace

The levels of alkylphenols, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and heavy metals were measured in the fish liver, while the fish muscle was also tested for metals.

Chemicals tested for and quantified in this study3: Alkylphenols, including:

A range of perfluorinated compounds

Three heavy metals:

(PFCs), including: nonylphenol (NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (OP)

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perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

mercury, lead, cadmium

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Key Findings Alkylphenols Alkylphenols were detected in all liver samples except for one carp from Ma´anshan; Nonylphenols (NP) were by far the most predominant alkylphenols in all samples (present in over 95% of carp, and over 85% of catfish); 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) was detected in all but two liver samples; Carp from Wuhan contained the highest NP concentration, while catfish from Chongqing contained the highest OP concentration.

PFCs Perfluorinated compounds were found in all samples other than carp samples from Chongqing; Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was by far the most predominant PFCs, detected in all but the carp samples from Chongqing; The highest average concentration levels of PFOS were found in samples from Wuhan, followed by Nanjing.

A quantitative summary: Concentration levels of alkylphenols and PFOS4

Chongqing （Average）

Wuhan 5

Ma’anshan (Average)

Nanjing (Average)

Chongqing （Average）

Wuhan （Average）

Nanjing (Average)

NP

23.2

85.0

5.9

34.2

23.9

31.7

60.6

OP

0.58

1.68

0.26

1.80

3.37

2.67

1.98

PFOS

<0.3

41.6

2.1

27.9

21.5

39.7

18.4

Heavy metals Cadmium was found in all catfish liver samples; the highest levels were found in the catfish liver samples from Nanjing, 0.34 mg/kg; Mercury was present in all muscle samples, with progressively increasing concentrations in catfish samples from upstream (Chongqing, 0.083 mg/kg) to downstream (Nanjing, 0.19 mg/kg); While almost all muscle samples had concentrations of lead and cadmium below limits of quantification, they were detected in larger quantities in the liver.

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Analysis

1. This study indicates the widespread presence of certain hazardous chemicals within wild fish from the upper, middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River.

Both alkylphenols and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were found in common carp and southern catfish from all four sites except for one location, Chongqing, where PFCs were detected in catfish only. The data provide more information on the contamination levels of the Yangtze

The relatively high degree of variability in hazardous chemical concentrations found in different locations makes it impossible to rank the cities according to their concentration levels of hazardous chemicals. However, this goes on to further indicate that hazardous chemical contamination is widespread and all of the four cities are contaminated by different hazardous chemicals at various levels.

2. The hazardous chemicals identified in the fish samples pose well-recognized environmental and human health concerns.

in certain species. Alkylphenols are known endocrine disruptors and can lead to altered sexual development in some organisms.

All hazardous chemicals tested for in the study have the ability to accumulate and persist in the environment following their release, including within living organisms.

Studies indicate that PFCs can cause adverse impacts during development and adulthood, including damage to the liver, as well as acting as endocrine disruptors

These chemicals also accumulate via the food chain, with magnified levels shown at the top of the chain. As common carp and catfish are widely eaten in China, these hazardous chemicals pose significant long-term threats to the ecological system as well as human and animal health.

3. Without proper regulation and enforcement to curb the use and release of these hazardous chemicals, we are likely to see ever-increasing levels of these chemicals in the environment.

chemicals has either continued largely unabated or, in the case of some chemicals, has even increased considerably in the last decade.

In many countries and regions, the production and use of the more hazardous chemicals, including alkylphenols and PFCs, have been greatly reduced in recent years, largely as a result of legislation. However, the opposite is currently taking place in China, especially for alkylphenols and PFCs. Here, the production and/or use of these hazardous

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River itself at the locations investigated.

Swimming in Poison

An increasing production volume in China means that there is a likely increase in the discharge, and consequently accumulation, of these chemicals in the environment. The impact of these substances to the environment and humans are believed to be long-term and hard to reverse.

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Information on the chemicals tested

Introduction to Alkylphenols

Alkylphenols are a group of man-made chemicals manufactured almost exclusively to produce alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), which are surfactants that help liquids spread more easily. Nonylphenols (NP) and octylphenols (OP), two common alkylphenols, are mostly used to produce APEs. These are widely present in everyday life as a major component of industrial and daily cleaning products (detergents) and emulsifiers used in textile and leather production â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hence they can be present in the finished products as well. They can also be found in pesticides and water-based paints. Once in environment the APEs break down back into NP and OP.

air detergents & textile/leather finishers

earth water

How does it end?

The destructive and dangerous path of hazardous chemicals

NP and OP are persistent in the environment and toxic to aquatic life. Both are known to accumulate in the tissues of fish and other organisms, and bio-magnify through the food chain 6 . Alkylphenols, particularly NP, have frequently been reported to act as contaminants in aquatic organisms, especially fish, in many locations around the world. More recently, alkylphenols have also been found in human tissues.

before

Effect of NP on fish population

after

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Within China, the production of APEs (primarily NPEs) was estimated to be about 50,000 tons in 1998, and their use has increased from an estimated 40,000 tons in 1995 to over 90,000 tons in 20038. Exact levels of current production are not known.

100000 Consumption of NPEOs (tons per year)

In China, NPs have been identified in the river water and sediment of many areas, including in the Yangtze and the drinking water of the Chongqing region. Some parts of the Yangtze estuary have reported NP concentrations exceeding those in the Rhine estuary in the Netherlands and the Elbe estuary in Germany7.

90000 80000 70000 60000 50000 40000 30000 1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

Annual comsumption of nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPEOs) in China, from 1995 to 20039

Hazards NP and OP are endocrine disruptors, able to mimic natural estrogen in organisms. This can lead to altered sexual development in some species, most notably the development of female organs in male fish. Studies have also indicated that NP and OP can affect reproductive systems in rodents and other mammals. NP and OP have been listed among 70 types of endocrine disruptors by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NP has also been listed as an endocrine disruptor in the European Union (EU) Prioritization List10.

Regulation Alkylphenols, including NP and OP, are not currently regulated in China. However, many other countries have enacted regulations against these chemicals.

Products containing more than 0.1% of NP or its ethoxylates have been banned in the EU since 2005, with exemption of some closed loop uses. Both NP and OP have been designated as "priority substances" under the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive, with NP being designated as "priority hazardous substance" with the goal of elimination of its releases within 20 years of the adoption of the regulation.

The intergovernmental OSPAR Convention of North East Atlantic also identifies NP and t-OP as chemicals for priority action with the goal of eliminating their releases into the environment.

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Introduction to PFCs Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made chemicals and extremely persistent global pollutants.

PFCs are highly resistant to chemical, biological and thermal degradation.

Many PFCs have relatively low solubility in water and oils.

This unique property has resulted in their widespread use as water-, grease- and stain-repellent finishes on carpets, clothes, leather, paper and even the wrappings for microwave popcorn. Their resistance to breakdown even at high temperatures has led to their use in fire fighting foams and in lubricants for high temperature applications11. However, this resistance to degradation also results in one of their major environmental drawbacks: their long persistence in the environment.

PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is the most well-known and one of the most pervasive types of PFCs. Since 2000, production of PFOS and equivalent chemicals has fallen sharply around the world, with current production levels estimated to be under 1,000 tons per year12. In contrast, PFOS production within China has increased in recent years. It was only in 2003 when large-scale production of PFOS began in China, with total production volume

Production (tons per year)

250 200 150 100 50 0

2004

2005

2006

Annual PFOS production in China, 2004-200614

reaching 50 tons in 2004 and increasing to over 200 tons in 2006, of which approximately half was exported to the EU, Japan and Brazil13.

PFOS exists in a wide range of products from CFP

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

PFOS has been found in the bodies of many living species worldwide, including human Upper left & upper right

Greenpeace

Lower left & lower right from CFP

Numerous studies have reported the presence of PFCs in the tissues of aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, fish, birds and mammals, from mice to far larger mammals such as whales and polar bears.

PFOS and other perfluorinated compounds have also been found in samples of blood and breast milk taken from people in many countries of the world, including China. In 2006, a study analyzed the whole blood samples of 85 people from 8 provinces and 9 cities in China. The results showed that PFOS levels were higher in China than those found in people of countries like the USA, Japan and Korea15. In 2006, a study detected different levels of PFOS and PFOA in all 19 breast milk samples from Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province16. A recent study also detected PFOS and PFOA in the blood samples of Chinese infants and toddlers17. Research shows that food intake is the major exposure route for perfluorinated compounds to the general population18.

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Hazards As an endocrine disruptor, PFCs can interfere with the proper functioning of hormones in humans. Elevated blood concentrations of PFOA and PFOS have been associated with thyroid disease in the US general adult population19. In Denmark, high combined blood levels of PFOA and PFOS were associated with decreased sperm count20. Furthermore, women in Denmark with elevated PFOA and PFOS took longer to become pregnant than those with lower levels21. Elevated levels of PFC may also affect fetal growth and development, though there are inconsistencies among studies.

Regulation Within China there are currently no regulations of the production and use of PFOS or other perfluorinated compounds. Globally, however, PFOS has come under scrutiny. In May 2009, it was added to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, an international treaty that seeks to eliminate or restrict persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Under the treaty, the production of PFOS is allowed only for permitted uses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which are unfortunately many, including in the semiconductor and photographic industries, metal plating operations, aviation hydraulics, fire-fighting foams, and certain pesticides22.

Within the European Union (EU), the marketing and use of PFOS have been prohibited for certain uses since 2008, although many exemptions similar to those under the Stockholm Convention exist23. The manufacture and use of PFOS have also been prohibited in Canada, though again with certain exemptions24.

The above regulations do not apply to perfluorinated carbocylic acids (PFCAs) and other types of PFCs. Furthermore, even when all uses are discontinued, the high persistence of PFOS and other PFCs will inevitably mean that they will continue to be environmental contaminants for a long period.

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Winter swimming under Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge

QIU Bo/Greenpeace 长 江 The Yangtze River

The Yangtze River and Industrial Pollution

The findings in this report must be seen within the larger context of economic development and environmental degradation in the Yangtze River.

The Yangtze River is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world. Known as the “mother river”, it flows through an area of 1.8 million square kilometres25, crossing 19 provinces. It feeds 400 million people – nearly one third of China’s population – and supplies water to 186 cities. It is the only source of drinking water for Shanghai’s 20 million people26.

The Yangtze River region plays a significant role in the economy, generating more than RMB 10.2 trillion in 2007, or over 40% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) that year27.

Due to its rich natural resources, transportation capabilities

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and port facilities, the region has also become one of the key locations for China’s heavy industry. In 2006, the river hosted some 10,000 chemical enterprises – or about half the total number in China28.

Unfortunately, all these economic and industrial activities have meant that the Yangtze also absorbs more wastewater than any other river in China. In 2008, the discharge exceeded 21 billion tons – or 30% of the national wastewater discharge; 70% of this discharge came from industry29.

Water quality has degraded rapidly in the Yangtze since the 1990s30. In 2008, segments of the Yangtze accounted for 30.9% of the total length of rivers in China with water quality worse than Grade II of the Chinese government’s water quality grading system31.

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

A toxic cocktail of industrial discharge and heavy metals, as well as the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides in agriculture, makes the Yangtze one of the world’s most polluted rivers 32. A study by the Ministry of Water Resources found that in 1994, there were 197

organic hazardous chemicals in its waters, 25 of which were carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic (able to disturb the growth and development of an embryo or fetus)33.

Inferior to Grade Grade

Ⅴ

Ⅴ

4.30％

7.60％ 350

Grade

Ⅳ

300

9.00％

Grade

Ⅰ&Ⅱ

Total waste water 250 discharge (million tons) (straight-flow coding water of heat-engine plants）

200

39.90％

150 Industrial waste water discharge (million tons)

100 50

Grade

Ⅲ

29.20％

Yangtze River water quality in 2008

0 1998 1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2008

The overall growth of wastewater discharge of the Yangtze River basin, 1998 - 2008

Fish market in Wuhan

QIU Bo/Greenpeace

Swimming in毒隐于江 Poison

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Fish populations in the Yangtze River Though once home to about 378 fish species, including 146 unique to the Yangtze34, the river has seen a gradual decline of aquatic populations over the past half century. Fish farming on the Yangtze is in decline as well. In 1954, 427,000 tons of fish were farmed in the Yangtze; by 2007, this number had fallen to 100,000 tons35.

Scientific studies and media reports increasingly point out that industrial, municipal and agricultural water pollution have a severe impact on aquatic organisms living in the river.

Hazardous chemicals and Chinese sturgeons in the Yangtze

TPT can induce the malformation of the larvae of Chinese sturgeons. Malformations detected in 18 day post-hatch wild Chinese sturgeon larvae.

(A) Abnormal ocular development, left to right, Normal larva, single eye larva and no eye larva (B) Skeletal/morphological deformation, upper, normal larva, lower, curved larva37

The Chinese sturgeon(Acipenser sinensis), a critically endangered fish that dates back 140 million years, is an indicative example of the fate of Yangtze River fish. The species used to swim more than 2,000 kilometres up the Yangtze to spawn, but is now hampered by dams.

In 2009, studies found that the real culprit behind its decline may be triphenyltin (TPT)36. TPT not only reduces fertility in adult sturgeons but also leads to the birth of deformed juveniles with misshapen skeletons, only one eye, or no eyes at all37.

Fish on Chinese dining table At present, fish and seafood supply one third of the animal protein consumed in China38.

Common carp dish from CFP

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Catfish is very popular in China, not only for its flavour, but also its nutritional value. Wild river-caught catfish is especially sought after for its delicate taste; it is also perceived as a health tonic. The common carp is also widely eaten, especially in Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northern region. People believe that it represents good luck, as its name is a homophone with the Chinese word for auspicious (li). Thus, the common carp is often served as a centrepiece dish in Chinese New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrations and other festivities.

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Conclusion This study has demonstrated the widespread presence of certain hazardous chemicals within wild fish from the upper, middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River.

For all four locations investigated (Chongqing, Wuhan, Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;anshan and Nanjing), common carp and/or southern catfish livers contained detectable levels of alkylphenols and perfluorinated compounds. Furthermore, mercury and cadmium were detected in the livers and/or muscle of both species, particularly cadmium in catfish livers.

These data do not only illustrate the levels of hazardous chemicals accumulated within fish, but also give insight into the extent to which the Yangtze River itself is contaminated at the locations investigated.

Clearly, there are well recognized environmental and health concerns regarding the chemicals in this study, including their ability to accumulate within organisms and the food chain as well as to persist in the environment for long periods of time. Therefore, regulation is urgently needed for these and other hazardous chemicals.

Although there are some regulations for lead, cadmium and mercury in China, these rules do not prohibit all releases that derive from human activities. Furthermore,

the manufacture, use and release of alkylphenols and PFCs are not currently regulated in China. The same holds true for the majority of other hazardous chemicals currently used and discharged within China.

There is an urgent need to develop an environmentally sound management system for toxic chemicals within China. Immediate actions should be taken by companies that discharge large quantities of pollutants into the water, as well as by the government, which regulates industries and determines the direction of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water pollution control policy.

As a top priority, China must create an overall action plan to reduce, restrict and ultimately eliminate the release of a wide range of hazardous chemicals. The most effective solutions are those that call for industry to use less hazardous, and preferably non-hazardous, alternative substances in their manufacturing processes.

This approach can bring about the most rapid reductions and ultimate cessation of hazardous chemical discharges, thereby eliminating these pervasive threats to the environment and human health at the source.

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

References

1.“Environmentally sound management of chemicals” is a term from chapter 19, subject 11 of Agenda 21, a programmatic document adopted by the United Nations for the international environmental management of chemicals, where six programme areas are proposed: a. Expanding and accelerating international assessment of chemical risks; b. Harmonization of classification and labelling of chemicals; c. Information exchange on toxic chemicals and chemical risks; d. Establishment of risk reduction programmes; e. Strengthening of national capabilities and capacities for management of chemicals; f . Prevention of illegal international traffic in toxic and dangerous products; g. Enhancement of cooperation related to several programme areas.

2.Brigden, K., Santillo, D. & Allsopp, M. 2010. Perfluorinated chemicals, alkylphenols and metals in fish from the upper, middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River, China. Greenpeace Research Laboratories Technical Note. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/reports/Swimming-in-Chemicals/ 3.To find more about the analytic methods of the samples, please refer to Technical Note.

4.For full findings from the study, including data for other PFCs and heavy metals, please refer to Technical Note.

5.For catfish, composite (average) values for 4 fish were prepared per location. For carp, average values for 2 fish were prepred per location, other than Wuhan where only 1 liver was analyzed, as it was only possible to isolate the liver from only one individual.

6.OSPAR. 2004. Nonylphenol/nonylphenolethoxylates, OSPAR priority substances series, OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, OSPAR Commission, London, ISBN 0-946956-79-0, pp. 20.

OSPAR. 2006. Octylphenol, OSPAR priority substances series, OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, OSPAR Commission, London, ISBN 1-905859-00-7, pp. 32.

7.Fu, M., Li, Z. & Wang, B. 2008. Distribution of Nonylphenol in various environmental matrices in Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent area. Marine Environmental Science, 27, pp. 561-565.

8.Feng, Y. 2005. Importnt intermediate in fine chemical industry. Fine Chemicals Industrial Raw Materials and Intermediates, 3, pp. 21-24 (in Chinese). Cited in An, W. & Hu, J. 2006. Effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on China's rivers and coastal waters. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 4(7), pp. 378-386.

9.Wei, A. & Hu, J. 2006. Effects of endocrine disrupting chemical on China’s rivers and coastal waters. Front Ecol Environ, 4(7), pp. 378-386.

10.Shao, B., Hu, J., Yang, M., An, W. & Tao, S. 2005. Nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates in rivers water, drinking water, and fish tissues in the area of Chongqing, China. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 48(4), pp. 467-473.

11.OSPAR. 2006. Hazardous substances series: OSPAR background document on perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS). 2006 Update, publ.

OSPAR Commission, ISBN 1- 905859-03-1, Publication Number 269/2006, pp. 46.

12.Paul, A.G., Jones, K.C. & Sweetman, A.J. 2009. A first global production, emission, and environmental inventory for perfluorooctane sulfonate.

Environmental Science & Technology, 43(2), pp. 386-392.

13.Bao, J., Liu, W., Liu, L., Jin, Y., Ran, X. & Zhang, Z. 2010. Perfluorinated compounds in urban river sediments from Guangzhou and Shanghai of China. Chemosphere, 80(2), pp. 123-130.

14.Liu, C., Hu, J., Liu, J. & Wan, D. 2008. Pollution status and release of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and risk analysis for PFOS in China.

Environmental Pollution and Control, 7, pp. 4.

15.Yeung, W., So, M., Jiang, G., Taniyasu, S., Yamashita, N., Song, M., Wu, Y., Li, J., Giesy, J., Guruge, K. & Lam, P. 2006. Perfluorooctanesulfonate and related fluorochemicals in human blood samples from China. Environmental Science & Technology, 40(3), pp. 715-720.

16.Yeung, W., So, M., Jiang, G., Taniyasu, S., Yamashita, N., Song, M., Wu, Y., Li, J., Giesy, J., Guruge, K. & Lam, P. 2006. Perfluorooctanesulfonate

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

and related fluorochemicals in human blood samples from China. Environmental Science & Technology, 40(3), pp. 715-720.

17.Zhang, T., Wu, Q., Sun, H., Zhang, X., Yun, S. & Kannan, K. 2010. Perfluorinated compounds in whole blood samples from infants, children, and adults in China. Environmental Science & Technology, 44, pp. 4341-4347.

18.Zhang, T., Sun, H., Wu, Q., Zhang, X., Yun, S. & Kannan, K. 2010. Perfluorochemicals in meat, eggs and indoor dust in China: Assessment of sources and pathways of human exposure to perfluorochemcials. Environmental Science & Technology, 44 (9), pp. 3572-3579.

19.Melzer, D., Rice, N., Depledge, M., Henley, W. & Galloway, T. 2010. Association between serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and thyroid disease in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(5), pp. 686-692.

20.Joensen, U., Bossi, R., Leffers, H., Jensen, A. & Skakkebaek, N. 2009. Do perfluoroalkyl compounds impair human semen quality?

Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(6), pp. 923-927.

21.Fei, C., McLaughlin, J., Lipworth, L. & Olsen, J. 2009. Maternal levels of perfluorinated chemicals and subfecundity. Human Reproduction, 1(1), pp. 1-6.

22.UNEP. 2009. Adoption of amendments to Annexes A, B and C of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). http://chm.pops.int/Portals/0/download.aspx?d=UNEP-POPS-COP-NOTIF-DN-CN524-2009.English.pdf (visited on 12 August 2010) 23.EU. 2006. 2006/122/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 amending for the 30th time Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (perfluorooctane sulfonates). Official Journal of the European Union, L 372(32).

24.CEPA. 2008. Perfluorooctane sulfonate and its salts and certain other compounds regulations (SOR/2008-178) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. Canada Gazette Part II, Vol. 142, No. 12.

25.National Bureau of Statistics of China. China statistical yearbook 2007, Ch.1, 1-6, 2007.

26.The New Zealand Herald. 2006. Yangtze River grows “cancerous” with pollution. May 2006. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10384307 (visited on 6 August 2010) 27.Yang, G., Ma, C. & Chang, S. 2009. Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2009. Changjiang Press, Wuhan, pp. 28.

28.Yang, G., Weng, L. & Li, L. 2007. Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2007. Changjiang Press, Wuhan, pp. 66.

29.Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of the People’s Republic of China. 2009. China Environmental Statistical Yearbook 2008.

30.Yang, G., Weng, L. & Li, L. 2007. Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2007. Changjiang Press, Wuhan, pp. 17.

31.China uses a six-grade classification scheme for water quality. Grade I is the best. Water worse than grade III can not be used for drinking.

32.WWF. Wong, C.M., Williams, C.E., Pittock, J., Collier, U. & Schelle, P. 2007. World's top 10 rivers at risk. March 2007. http://assets.panda.org/downloads/worldstop10riversatriskfinalmarch13.pdf (visited on 9 August 2010) 33.Li, A., Lu, C., Zhang, L., Xia, M., Ge, J., Wu, H., Ying, D., Sun, C., Zhang, A., Shi, H. & Zhang, Q. 2006. Status quo and control strategies of organic toxicant contamination of Yangtze River. Symposium of Persistent Organic Pollutants Forum and the First National Seminar on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

34.Yang, G., Ma, C. & Chang, S. 2009. Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2009. Changjiang Press, Wuhan, pp. 128.

35.Yang, G., Weng, L. & Li, L. 2007. Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2007. Changjiang Press, Wuhan, pp. 131.

36.Triphenyltin (TPT) has been used extensively in paints to prevent fouling of ship hulls and fishnets.

37.Hu, J., Zhang, Z., Wei, Q., Zheng, H., Zhao, Y., Peng, H., Wan, Y., Giesy, J., Li, L. & Zhang, B. 2009. Malformations of the endangered Chinese sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis, and its causal agent. PNAS, 106(23), pp. 9339-9344.

38.Yang, G., Ma, C. & Chang, S. 2009. Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2009. Changjiang Press, Wuhan.

Swimming in Poison

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An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Greenpeace China’s Clean Water Campaign Greenpeace’s clean water campaign aims to eliminate the most hazardous chemicals threatening China’s rivers and lakes. Greenpeace calls on the government and industry to protect China´s precious water resources by committing to eliminate discharges of the most hazardous substances through clean production.

In order to achieve this, Greenpeace monitors the environmental performance of companies and their factories, visits local victims of water pollution, and samples water in the Yangtze, Yellow and Pearl River Delta regions. We use extensive field visits and in-depth research to expose the culprits of industrial water pollution, and work with experts to showcase best industrial and legislative practices.

Disclaimer 1. The information contained in the report has been derived from sources open to the public and believed to be reliable. Greenpeace makes no guarantee as to the accuracy or completeness of this information.

2. The findings of this report are based only on information obtained by Greenpeace within the duration of the research period.

3. The legal provisions cited in the report are limited to legal documents collected by Greenpeace, and only represent Greenpeace's understanding of relevant laws and regulations.

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Swimming in Poison

An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish

Greenpeace stands for positive change through action to defend the natural world and promote peace. We are a non-profit organization with a presence in 40 countries. To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments or corporations but relies on contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants.

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Swimming in Poison

——An analysis of hazardous chemicals in Yangtze River fish