Polychlorinated biphenyl pollution from shipbuilding in Nagasaki Bay, Japan
Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pollution from shipbuilding in Nagasaki Bay, Japan, was determined by measurement of PCB concentrations in sediment, in water, and in biological samples. PCBs were detected in all samples; much higher concentrations, more than 10 micrograms/g, were found in three sediment samples located near the shipyard drains. In general, PCB concentrations in sediments and organisms tended to increase toward the inner part of the bay. PCB isomer and congener compositions in organisms as well as sediments were composed mainly of higher chlorinated biphenyls and were similar to Kanechlor 500 and 600 products (chlorine content 54 and 60%, respectively) that have been used for ship paints. These results strongly suggest that the shipbuilding is primarily responsible for the PCB pollution in Nagasaki Bay. Bioaccumulation factors of PCBs were different among the organisms according to their trophic levels. This might be a result of the predominant PCB transfer through the food chain in organisms and the discharge of bioaccumulative PCBs as higher chlorinated biphenyls from shipyards. The observations imply that PCB pollution from shipbuilding would continue for a long time due to the accumulative characteristics of PCBs used for ship paints and the further discharge by scraping the stale paints in shipyards.
- Research Organization:
- Ehime Univ., Matsuyama, Japan
- OSTI ID:
- 6750188
- Journal Information:
- Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States), Vol. 7:5
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MONITORING
JAPAN
WATER POLLUTION
SEDIMENTS
CONTAMINATION
SAMPLING
WATER
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BAYS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FOOD CHAINS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
PAINTS
SHIPS
AROMATICS
ASIA
COATINGS
ECOSYSTEMS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)