Risk estimation indicated that PCBs may pose a health risk to heavy fish consumers. However, there were a number of sources of uncertainty introduced in the risk assessment, such as the relatively small number of fish species analyzed and the sample sizes used for chemical analysis, as well as potential variation in actual risk among human consumers in different age groups and due to differences in fish consumption rates. Nevertheless, this preliminary health risk assessment of PCBs to human consumers due to fish consumption in coastal cities of China indicates that dl-PCBs may be of concern.