Protein-rich fish, like the Brazilian sardine, are a staple of the Brazilian diet. The project ‘’Bioaccumulation and Exposure to Petrogenic Hydrocarbons and Organic Contaminants in Commercialized Fish: Case Study on the Brazilian Sardine in the State of Rio de Janeiro” will analyze tissue samples from fish hauls to asses the levels of exposure of the state’s fish stocks to organic compounds, many of these generated by the oil and gas industry, and the effects of this contamination on the quality of commercialized fish and their suitability for human consumption.

The project, led by the Catholic Foundations (PUC-RJ), will also try to identify the origin of these compounds.