Partitioning and bioaccumulation of PCBs and PBDEs in marine plankton from the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada (original) (raw)
Related papers
Environmental Science & Technology, 2014
Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations and profiles in paired sediment− plankton samples were determined along a 500 km transect in coastal British Columbia, Canada. PCB and PBDE levels in sediment were both greater in the industrialized Strait of Georgia than in remote northern sites and exhibited parallel spatial trends. In plankton, recent-use PBDE levels were higher near-source, while levels of legacy PCBs were uniform across sites. Principal component analysis of 95 PCB congeners illustrated the influence of proximity to source (i.e., latitude) on congener patterns for both matrices (sediment, r 2 = 0.52, p = 0.012; plankton, r 2 = 0.59, p = 0.016). The PCB pattern in plankton grew lighter with latitude, but the opposite pattern in sediments suggested that temperature-related fractionation, sediment processes, and basin-wide oceanography had divergent effects on each matrix. Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) were greater for PBDEs than PCBs, but spatial profiles were similar; PCBs and PBDEs were near equilibrium in remote atmospherically driven sites (BSAF = 1.7 and 1.3) but accumulated preferentially in sediments at source-driven sites (BSAF = 0.2 and 0.4). The influences of particle-binding and hydrophobicity on the aquatic fate of PCBs and PBDEs was evident by the strong influence of log K OW on congener-specific BSAFs (PCBs, r 2 = 0.18 p < 0.001; PBDEs, r 2 = 0.61 p < 0.001). While biotic uptake of PCBs has become spatially uniform in coastal BC because of dilution over time, biomagnification of PBDEs remains higher in industrialized waters.
Marine Chemistry, 1997
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were quantified in bulk seawater (3.1 ± 1.0 ngl−1, N = 3) in 1976, in plankton (2.9 ± 3.3 ng g−1 wet weight, N = 176) in 1976 and 1977 and in fish (155 ± 194 ng g−1 wet weight, N = 135) in 1977 collected from St. Georges Bay in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. PCB concentrations in the plankton of the entire water column varied seasonally by ten times, with the highest values occurring in spring, lowest during summer and variable levels in late fall. The lower PCB levels in the total summer community coincide with a reduced biomass in certain size fractions in the Bay rather than a decrease in PCB concentration of the plankton. PCBs were concentrated in the middle-sized fractions of the planktonic community and this is attributed to the greater biomass present in these categories. PCB concentrations in plankton were most highly correlated with their lipid content at the time of sampling. Seasonal reductions of lipid in the plankton per m3 resulted in a higher concentration of PCB per unit lipid in the remaining community. Planktonic PCB concentrations, expressed on a lipid basis, are found to be correlated with cumulative rainfall 21 d before sampling for both years combined.Adult fish were more contaminated by PCBs than either their egg or juvenile stages. Mature gaspereau, herring and smelt had higher concentrations of PCB contamination than mackerel, capelin, white hake and silversides. No difference was found between PCB contamination of the sexes of fish species analyzed. PCBs were transferred from mother to offspring in fish, but at lower levels than the level present in the parent; and the maximum accumulation from the environment occurred between immature and adult fish. The best predictors of PCB contamination in fish in St. Georges Bay are lipid content followed by size and age.PCB concentrations in plankton, normalized to lipid content, did not increase with size or trophic level. PCB concentrations in fish increased with size and on average were ten times the levels found in plankton. Marine mammals collected by other researchers in the region during the 1970s had accumulated up to several orders-of-magnitude higher concentrations than those found in fish, with a more gradual increase with size of organism. Lipid content and age or exposure period appear to be the main factors which determine PCB concentrations in the marine food chain in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Chemosphere, 2011
Many chemical, physiological, and trophic factors are known to affect 17 bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in biota. Understanding the primary 18 factors affecting fish contamination is critical for predicting and assessing risks to upper-19 trophic level consumers, including humans. Here we identify PCB contamination pathways 20 that could explain within-and between-species variability in fish concentration levels. Three 21 freshwater river fish species (barbel, chub and bream) were sampled at three sites along the 22
Science of The Total Environment, 1990
The polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination of the biota of the St. Lawrence estuary maximum turbidity zone (MTZ) was investigated. The species analyzed consist of zooplankton (mostly Neomysis americana), larval smelt (Osmerus mordax), juvenile smelt, juvenile tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) and adult smelt, tomcod and capelin (Mallotus villosus). A significant increase in total PCB contamination from zooplankton to all fish developmental stages indicates that the St. Lawrence MTZ is a site of significant PCB contamination. The total PCB contamination of adult smelt and tomcod sampled in the St. Lawrence MTZ was greater than the limit of 0.1 ppm set by the International Joint Commission for the protection of predators. For zooplankton, tomcod and capelin, significant correlations were found between lipid content and PCB contamination. The congener-specific analyses showed that the bioconcentration factor of the individual congeners varied with the species involved and with the molecular structure of the congener. It was found that the chlorine atoms in positions 2, 4 and 5 on at least one phenyl ring of the PCB molecule was a dominant factor causing accumulation of PCBs in aquatic organisms. The pattern of PCB congeners found in beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) whale tissues is similar to the PCB pattern found in the St. Lawrence estuary MTZ biota.
Bioaccumulation of PCBs in Aquatic Biota from a Tidal Freshwater Marsh Ecosystem
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2002
Water, sediments, and aquatic biota were sampled in a tidal river-marsh on the Potomac River near Washington, DC (USA) to assess baseline concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and bioaccumulation in finish species. The mean sediment total-PCB concentration in the wetland was 50 ng/g dry weight, and mean concentrations in biota ranged from 150 ng/g to 450 ng/g wet weight. The highest PCB concentrations were observed in channel catfish. The median biotasediment accumulation factor (BSAF) estimated in all finfish species for total-PCBs was 2.9. However, some of the individual and co-eluting PCB congeners had median BSAFs that were substantially greater (e.g., congener numbers 42, 74, 182/187/128, and 171) or lower (e.g., congener numbers 18/15, 45, 185, and 208) than the total-PCB average. Apparent bioaccumulation factors (biota/water PCB concentration ratios) for PCB congeners showed a parabolic relation with n-octanol/ water partition coefficients, confirming some previous investigations. There was no clear trend between apparent bioaccumulation factors and trophic level. Organic-carbon-normalized sediment distribution constants (sediment/water PCB concentration ratios) were linearly related to the apparent bioaccumulation factors for all the finfish species investigated.
Partitioning and Bioaccumulation of PBDEs and PCBs in Lake Michigan †
Environmental Science & Technology, 2006
Water from Lake Michigan and fish from all five Great Lakes have been sampled and analyzed for a suite of six polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners and 110 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs). The Lake Michigan dissolved phase PBDE congener concentrations (0.2 to 10 pg/L) are similar to dissolved phase PCB congener concentrations (nondetected to 13 pg/L). Partitioning of PBDEs between the particulate and dissolved phases exhibits behavior similar to that of PCBs. Organic-carbonnormalized water-particle partition coefficients (log K OC s) ranged from 6.2 to 6.5. Lake trout are depleted in BDE-99 relative to dissolved phase concentrations, and in contrast to what is expected from the PCB congener patterns. This reflects suspected debromination of BDE-99 in the food web of Lake Michigan. A regression of the log of the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and the log of the octanol-water partition coefficent (K OW ) indicated a positive relationship for both PCB congeners and PBDE congeners. BDE-99 does not appear to follow the same trend, a further indication that it is subject to biotransformation. Using the PBDE BAFs for Lake Michigan and the PBDE fish concentrations from the other Great Lakes it is expected that the dissolved phase concentrations of congeners in the other lakes would range from 0.04 to approximately 3 pg/ L.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2008
Management of coastal ecosystems necessitates the evaluation of pollutant loading based on adequate source discrimination. Monitoring of sediments and fish on the shelf off San Diego has shown that some areas on the shelf are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Here, we present an analysis of PCB contamination in fish on the shelf off San Diego designed to discriminate possible sources. The analysis was complicated by the variability of species available for analysis across the shelf, variable affinities of PCBs among species, and non-detects in the data. We utilized survival regression analysis to account for these complications. We also examined spatial patterns of PCBs in bay and offshore sediments and reviewed more than 20 years of influent and effluent data for local wastewater treatment facilities. We conclude that most PCB contamination in shelf sediments and fish is due to the ongoing practice of dumping contaminated sediments dredged from San Diego Bay.
Science of The Total Environment, 2003
Persistent organochlorines (OC) contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, Dichlorophenyltrichloroethane (DDT)and chlordane (CHL) related compounds, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH) isomers and chlorobenzenes (CBz) were determined in blubber of harp seals (Phoca groenlandica), ringed seals (Phoca hispida) and bearded seals (Eringnathus barbatus) as well as in fishes and invertebrates from the White Sea, in northwest Russia. Highest 8PCB and 8DDT concentrations were found in samples from two male bearded seals (means of 4150 ngyg lw and 3950 ngyg lw, respectively). Female harp seals had mean 8PCB and 8DDT concentrations of 1070"504 ngyg lw and 619"328 ngyg lw, respectively. Male and female adult ringed seals had similar mean 8PCB concentrations as harp seals (955"385 ngyg lw and 999"304 ngyg lw, respectively). 8CHL concentrations ranged from 63"29 ngyg lw in blubber of female adult ringed seals, to 322"156 ngyg lw in adult harp seals and averaged 465 ngyg lw in bearded seals. HCH isomers, mirex and chlorobenzenes were detected in all seal samples but were present at lower levels than 8CHL, 8DDT and 8PCB. Concentrations of 8CHL, 8DDT and 8PCB in ringed seals from the White Sea were within the range reported for the Barents Sea but lower than in ringed seals from the Kara Sea. Temporal trends were investigated by comparing concentrations of OCs in blubber of harp seal pups collected in 1992 with pups of the same age collected in 1998. The declines over the 6 year period ranged from approximately 33% for 8DDT to 60% for 8PCB. These declines are consistent with reports of declining concentrations 8DDT in seawater from the White Sea and inflowing rivers in the 1980's and early 1990s. The major OC contaminants in fishes from the White Sea were DDT-related compounds and PCBs. Navaga (Eleginus navaga) had the highest concentrations of the 5 fish species studied with mean 8PCB of 41"6 ngyg wet wt. while lowest mean concentrations were present in cod muscle (16"8 ngyg ww). Concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), DDT, CHL-related compounds and PCB congeners were strongly correlated with trophic level of the organisms assigned using d N values, while b-HCH, g-HCH and cis-chlordane showed no relationship with trophic level. Food 15 web magnification factors (FWMFs) for p,p9-DDE, a-HCH, oxychlordane and trans-nonachlor the White Sea were similar to those from marine food webs in the Barents Sea and the Canadian arctic, while FWMFs for HCB and column 4 points shortbegin articleMp 2 page 2 frame 4 PCBs were generally lower. Overall the results suggest that the White Sea marine food differs in terms of the availability of contaminants in comparison to studies of open ocean arctic food webs due to proximity to urbanyindustrial areas and greater importance of benthic food sources. ᮊ