Organic priority pollutants in nearshore fish from 14 Lake Michigan tributaries and embayments, 1983

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987 · J. Great Lakes Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0380-1330(87)71653-0· OSTI ID:6799979

Camanzo, J; Rice, C P; Jude, D J; Rossmann, R

Composite, nearshore, whole fish samples of selected species, collected in fall 1983 from 13 Lake Michigan tributaries and Grand Traverse Bay, were analyzed for a wide range of pesticides and priority pollutants using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This study was carried out to identify existing source areas for known and previously unrecognized toxic substances. The authors strategy was to analyze those resident fish with the highest likely levels of contaminant. All fish analyzed exceeded the 2 mg/kg FDA action levels for PCBs, while 50% of the samples exceeded the DDTr IJC objective of 1 mg/kg. St. Joseph River common carp (Cyprinus carpio) carried the heaviest contaminant burden of all fish examined for PCBs (27.6 mg/kg), DDTr (10.2 kg/mg), and toxaphene (3.3 mg/kg); chlordane levels (0.85 mg/kg) were second highest to those in Kalamazoo River common carp (0.87 mg/kg). Concentrations of PCBs, toxaphene, DDT, DDE, and other pesticides were higher in bottom-feeding fish, such as common carp, than in top predators, e.g., northern pike (Esox lucius). Bottom feeders are relatively fatty fish, and live and feed near contaminated sediments, which increases their potential to bioaccumulate fat-soluble contaminants. Pesticides were also present in elevated concentrations in fish from sites with higher industrial and agricultural development. 31 references, 1 figure, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6799979
• Journal Information: J. Great Lakes Res.; (United States), Vol. 13:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
METABOLISM
DDT
FISHES
CONTAMINATION
LAKE MICHIGAN
PESTICIDES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
WATER POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DATA
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
INSECTICIDES
LAKES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology