Sampling the hudson river estuary for pcbs using multiplate artificial substrate samplers and congener‐specific gas chromatography in 1991

107

Congener-specific analyses of PCBs in marine sediments were undertaken to gain a better understanding of the distribution of this class of contaminants in relation to the grain-size of sediments. Twenty PCB congeners, selected for their potential toxicity and/or for their occurrence in the environmental samples, were studied in five grainsize sediment fractions (from φ > 800 µm to φ < 15 µm) and in the vegetal fragment fraction collected by flotation. PCB content and distribution profiles were observed in different grain-size fractions, and these were compared to that of the bulk sediments. Despite different contamination levels shown by the three studied sediments (from 29 to 181 ng g -1 in dry sediment for the sum of the 20 PCB congeners), trends were observed: preferential accumulation of PCBs with finest fractions and vegetal fragment fraction and specific association of low chlorinated congeners with the sand-size fractions (φ > 63 µm) and of high chlorinated congeners with the silt-size fractions (φ < 63 µm). This study illustrates the requirement of a good knowledge of the sediment grain-size composition when evaluating the toxicity and the availability of PCBs to aquatic biota.

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 86%

Grain-Size Distribution of Polychlorobiphenyls in Coastal Sediments

Piérard

Budzinski

Garrigues

1996

107

“…The New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary (HE) and the Lower Hudson River Estuary have been greatly impacted by anthropogenic inputs of SOCs from the adjoining met-ropolitan area and, in the case of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), from the Upper Hudson River (10). Elevated levels of PCBs have been found in the biota, sediments, and water column of the Hudson River Estuary (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Achman et al (14) determined that there was a positive flux of PCBs from the sediments to the overlying water in the Hudson River Estuary, leading in turn to enhanced fluxes of PCBs from the water column into the air.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic Air−Water Exchange of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the New York−New Jersey Harbor Estuary

et al. 2001

111

110

Simultaneous measurements of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the air and water over Raritan Bay and New York Harbor were taken in July 1998, allowing the first determinations of air-water exchange fluxes for this heavily impacted system. Average gas-phase concentrations of sigmaPCBs were 1.0 ng m(-3) above Raritan Bay and 3.1 ng m(-3) above New York Harbor. A similar gradient was observed for dissolved water concentrations (1.6 and 3.8 ng L(-1), respectively). Shallow slopes of log K(oc) vs log K(ow) plots indicated a colloidal contribution to the dissolved concentrations, and a three-phase partitioning model was therefore applied. PCBs associated with colloids ranged from 6% to 93% for trichloro- to nonachlorobiphenyls, respectively. Air-water gas exchange fluxes of sigmaPCBs exhibited net volatilization for both Raritan Bay at +400 ng m(-2) day(-1) and New York Harbor at +2100 ng m(-2) day(-1). The correction for the colloidal interactions decreased the volatilization flux of sigmaPCBs by about 15%. Net air-water exchange fluxes of PCBs are expected to remain positive throughout the year due to the large water-air fugacity gradient and relatively constant seasonal water concentrations. The volatilization fluxes are approximately 40 times greater than atmospheric deposition of PCBs via both wet and dry particle deposition, suggesting that the estuary acts as a net source of PCBs to the atmosphere year-round.

“…From the mid 1940s to the mid 1970s, the Hudson River estuary received over 250 tonnes of PCBs, largely as a result of industrial discharges above the Troy Dam at Ft. Edward and Hudson Falls ( − ). PCB inventories in sediments revealed a considerable concentration gradient down-estuary due to advection, dispersion, and dilution ( , ). However, as a consequence of the decades of PCB release in the upper estuary, the commercial striped bass fishery in the entire Hudson River was closed, and consumption advisories for recreational anglers were issued in 1976.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking Habitat Use of Hudson River Striped Bass to Accumulation of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners

Ashley

Secor

Zlokovitz

et al. 2000

Since 1976, the commercial striped bass fishery in the Hudson River (NY) has been closed due to total polychlorinated biphenyl (t-PCB) concentrations that exceed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory level of 2 µg/gwet weight. Extensive monitoring of Hudson River striped bass demonstrated much more variability in t-PCB levels among individual striped bass than could be explained by their age, sex, or lipid contents. To investigate the possible role of differential habit use among subpopulations of striped bass in controlling their PCB exposures, 70 fish collected throughout the Hudson River estuary and Long Island Sound in 1994-1995 were analyzed for PCB congeners, and their lifetime migration behaviors were estimated by otolith microchemistry. The mean salinity encountered during the fish's last growth season prior to capture was inversely correlated with the t-PCB body burden. Striped bass permanently residing in fresh and oligohaline portions of the estuary adjacent to known PCB sources had elevated t-PCB levels and congeneric patterns with higher proportions of di-, tri-, and tetrachlorobiphenyls. Conversely, fish spending the majority of their life in more saline waters of the estuary or migrating frequently throughout the salinity gradient contained lower PCB levels composed of more highly chlorinated congeners. The approach used in this study allows habitat use to be incorporated into exposure assessments for anadromous fish species such as striped bass.