Technical report series: North Alabama water quality assessment: Volume 7, Contaminants in biota

Technical Report · Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6943316

Dycus, D L

This report provides results and recommendations from a two-part study conducted to determine concentrations of various contaminants in biota from Wilson and upper Pickwick Reservoirs in north Alabama. One part of the study was a ''screening'' effort where fish, clams, and turtles were analyzed as composites for contaminants on the Environmental Protection Agency's list of priority pollutants. The other part was specific to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) because there was a known source of PCBs. Analysis of biological samples for priority pollutants identified few contaminants present in detectable quantities. Of those detected, some were sufficiently low to be of no concern. Presence of cadmium in turtle livers and clam flesh indicates a need for further evaluation because this metal is highly toxic to aquatic life. Phthalate esters in turtles from one location were quite high, but were low in fish and clam samples. Results of PCB analyses indicated largemouth bass and crappie contamination levels were well below the FDSA limit of 2.0 ..mu..g/g. Data for buffalo were not as conclusive. Highest PCB concentrations occurred in catifsh from Wilson Reservoir. Twenty-two of 45 individuals from Wilson Reservoir exceeded the FDA limit and the overall average was 2.6 ..mu..g/g.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville (USA). Div. of Air and Water Resources
• OSTI ID: 6943316
• Report Number(s): TVA/ONRED/AWR-86/33; ON: DE87900603
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CADMIUM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PHTHALIC ACID ESTERS
WATER RESERVOIRS
WATER POLLUTION
ALABAMA
CLAMS
FISHES
TURTLES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
ELEMENTS
ESTERS
FEDERAL REGION IV
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INVERTEBRATES
METALS
MOLLUSCS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
REPTILES
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VERTEBRATES
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)