Role of water-particle partitioning and sedimentation in controlling the fate and transport of PCBs in lakes

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6106089

Swackhamer, D L

The spatial distribution and Aroclor composition of PCBs in Lake Michigan water and sediments were determined. The average PCB concentrations in surficial sediments were 81 ng/g, 26 ng/g, and 7.2 ng/g for depositional, transitional, and non-depositional zones, respectively, with an average Aroclor composition of 18% 1242, 33% 1248, and 49% 1254. The average PCB concentration in water was 1.8 ng/L. Differences in concentration and Aroclor composition in both sediments and water were used to identify point sources to the lake at Green Bay, Waukegan, Calumet Harbor, and Benton Harbor. The average PCB flux of 2.6 ..mu..g/m/sup 2/ yr to the sediments of several remote lakes whose only PCB source is atmospheric deposition was used to estimate the net atmospheric loading to Lake Michigan. The relative contribution of point sources to Lake Michigan was then evaluated by comparison of the PCB sediments flux in Lake Michigan to the sediment flux in the remote lakes. A current PCB mass balance for Lake Michigan was constructed. The water-particle partitioning behavior of PCBs and selected PCB congeners was studied in two remote lakes and Lake Michigan. The role of particle and sorbate properties in controlling partitioning behavior was evaluated. Water-particle partitioning was found to be controlled largely by particle type and to result in differing fates of the PCB congeners. Partitioning of PCB congeners was strongly correlated to their octanol-water partition coefficients.

• Research Organization: Wisconsin Univ., Madison (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6106089
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONTAMINATION
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
LAKE MICHIGAN
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTITION
POINT POLLUTANT SOURCES
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
SEDIMENTS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SURFACE WATERS
WATER POLLUTION