Transport and fate of polychlorinated biphenyls in a natural system
The fate and transport of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a natural system were studied, and a model was applied in an effort to determine likely inputs and to forecast future PCB contamination levels in the system. Concentrations of PCBs found in the water, sediment, and biota samples were within ranges commonly reported in the literature. Large errors in quantification and contamination in the blanks, however, made those results suspect. Various PCB inputs were fed into the model and the responses wwere related to field measurements. Pulse and decreasing mass inputs of 4.9 E 5 gm PCB in May, 1975 produced sediment and water PCB concentrations similar to those detected in the field in October, 1980; however, the model output fish PCB concentration was five times as high as the concentration detected in the fish sample. Modeled inputs of 27 gm of Aroclor 1260 over 64 days and 236 gm of Aroclor 1254 over 92 days produced average output fish PCB concentrations similar to those detected in fish samples - 81 ug/kg and 106 ug/kg, respectively. A sediment PCB concentration vs. depth profile was constructed for lake sediments from field observations, and a PCB input was subsequently modeled that produced a similar profile. The effects of diffusion and leaching were discussed as they pertained to the sediment PCB concentration vs. depth profile.
- Research Organization:
- Texas Univ., Austin (USA). Center for Research in Water Resources
- OSTI ID:
- 6188307
- Report Number(s):
- CRWR-190; ON: DE83901424
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
DIFFUSION
DISSOLUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FISHES
LEACHING
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
SEDIMENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
VERTEBRATES