The biomagnification of PCBs, PCDDs, PCDFs in a simplified laboratory food chain
- Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI (United States)
The trophic transfer and biomagnification potential of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), were investigated in a simplified marine benthic food chain. Polychaetes, Nereis virens were exposed to contaminated sediment and fed to juvenile lobsters, Homarus americanus exposed to the same sediment for 112 days. Time series uptake and depuration measurements were made for lobster muscle and hepatopancreas. A nonlinear model (BIOFAC) was used to calculate uptake and depuration rate constants, bioaccumulation factors, and steady state concentrations for PCBs, PCDDs, and PCDFs. Biomagnification factors (BMFs), on a lipid weight basis, were calculated for both tissues. Lobsters accumulated PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs from contaminated sediment and food (polychaetes). Of the two tissues, lobster hepatopancreas, showed the highest concentrations for all compounds analyzed. Of the PCDDs and PCDFs studied, only 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran, and 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran were detected in lobster muscle and hepatopancreas tissues. Of the PCB congeners studied, 2,2{prime},4,4{prime},5,5{prime} hexachlorobiphenyl reached the highest concentration in lobster muscle and hepatopancreas. Lobsters also accumulated non-ortho substituted PCBs in both tissues.
- OSTI ID:
- 458331
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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