Horizontal and vertical distribution of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in southern Lake Michigan sediments and the effect of Waukegan Harbor as a point source

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6969343

Swackhamer, D L; Armstrong, D E

The spatial distribution of PCBs in southern Lake Michigan sediments was obtained from the analysis of 66 box cores and 8 grab samples. PCB concentrations in surficial sediments were closely related to the sedimentation zone and to the oxidizable organic matter content of the sediments. Average surficial sediment concentrations ranged from 81 micrograms/g in depositional zones to 7.2 micrograms/g in non-depositional zones. The vertical distribution of PCBs was determined at several sites and was used to estimate the areal burden and flux of PCBs in each of the southern sedimentation zones. The total sediment PCB burden in the southern portion of the lake was estimated to be 5,900 kg. Southern Lake Michigan has received PCBs since approximately 1930 at an average flux of 7.1 micrograms/sq m/yr. The effect of Waukegan Harbor as a point source of PCBs to Lake Michigan was evaluated by comparing the PCB distribution and Aroclor composition of harbor sediments to those of sediments of decreasing distances from the harbor. Significant differences in total PCB concentration between non-depositional zones near the harbor and those in other areas of the basin indicate that Waukegan Harbor has influenced the PCB burden of Lake Michigan.

• Research Organization: Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6969343
• Report Number(s): PB-90-147687/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AROMATICS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONTAMINATION
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HARBORS
INTERFACES
LAKE MICHIGAN
LAKES
MONITORING
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POINT POLLUTANT SOURCES
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
SEDIMENT-WATER INTERFACES
SEDIMENTS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SURFACE WATERS
WATER POLLUTION