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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Public health assessment for Hocomonco Pond, West Borough, Worcester County, Massachusetts, region 1. Cerclis No. MAD980732341

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:26328
The Hocomonco Pond NPL site is located in Westborough, Massachusetts approximately 30 miles west of Boston and ten miles east of Worcester. Creosote wastes containing potentially carcinogenic Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were disposed in a lagoon immediately south of Hocomonco Pond and in Kettle Pond immediately southeast of Hocomonco Pond. PAH contamination has been detected in sediment at the southeast edge of the pond. Fish sampled from the pond were found to contain elevated PAH levels and fishing activity has been observed in the pond waters near the area of elevated sediment contamination. The site thus poses a public health hazard because of the potential risk to human health resulting from exposure to PAHs as a result of ingestion of contaminated fish and dermal contact with sediments at the pond.
Research Organization:
Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health, Boston, MA (United States). Div. of Environmental Health Assessment
OSTI ID:
26328
Report Number(s):
PB--95-171518/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English