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Title: Temporal and spatial trends of pesticides, PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs in Great Lakes fish communities: 1977--1993

Abstract

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) have been monitored for whole body contaminant burdens at several open lake sites throughout the Great Lakes annually since 1977. Lake trout, representing a top predator species, were analyzed on an individual basis and all fish were aged. Smelt, as a representative forage species, were analyzed as composites of 5 similar sized fish. There was a consistent basin wide downward trend in whole body burdens of pesticides and total PCBs in both indicator species through to the early 1980`s. This trend was followed by a 2 to 3 year period of modest increases in organic contaminant concentrations at a majority of the monitoring sites. Most recently, significant fluctuations in body burdens have occurred over a shorter time cycle. Supporting data indicate that a reduction in loadings was directly responsible for early declines. Recent fluctuations are now closely linked to alterations of the aquatic community composition and in particular changes in the fish and invertebrate forage base. Analysis of the 17 year database indicates that lake wide total PCB and pesticide concentrations are directly proportional to both industrial and agricultural activities. Thus, fish communities from the lower Great Lakes consistently have bodymore » burdens from 2 to 5 times greater than similar communities in the upper lakes. This is consistent with input from potential sources within the various lake basins. PCDD/PCDF congener concentrations and profiles between lake basins are reflective of the significance of either historical pulp and paper mill inputs or chlorophenol production within the system. Both cohort analysis and foodchain contaminant dynamics of pesticides, PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs display significant interlake differences.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Burlington, Ontario (Canada)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
230846
Report Number(s):
CONF-9511137-
ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9623%%156
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, APPLIED STUDIES; GREAT LAKES; WATER POLLUTION; BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS; POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS; BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION; TROUT; SENSITIVITY; ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION; SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION

Citation Formats

Whittle, D M, Kiriluk, R M, Carswell, A A, and Keir, M J. Temporal and spatial trends of pesticides, PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs in Great Lakes fish communities: 1977--1993. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Whittle, D M, Kiriluk, R M, Carswell, A A, & Keir, M J. Temporal and spatial trends of pesticides, PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs in Great Lakes fish communities: 1977--1993. United States.
Whittle, D M, Kiriluk, R M, Carswell, A A, and Keir, M J. 1995. "Temporal and spatial trends of pesticides, PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs in Great Lakes fish communities: 1977--1993". United States.
@article{osti_230846,
title = {Temporal and spatial trends of pesticides, PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs in Great Lakes fish communities: 1977--1993},
author = {Whittle, D M and Kiriluk, R M and Carswell, A A and Keir, M J},
abstractNote = {Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) have been monitored for whole body contaminant burdens at several open lake sites throughout the Great Lakes annually since 1977. Lake trout, representing a top predator species, were analyzed on an individual basis and all fish were aged. Smelt, as a representative forage species, were analyzed as composites of 5 similar sized fish. There was a consistent basin wide downward trend in whole body burdens of pesticides and total PCBs in both indicator species through to the early 1980`s. This trend was followed by a 2 to 3 year period of modest increases in organic contaminant concentrations at a majority of the monitoring sites. Most recently, significant fluctuations in body burdens have occurred over a shorter time cycle. Supporting data indicate that a reduction in loadings was directly responsible for early declines. Recent fluctuations are now closely linked to alterations of the aquatic community composition and in particular changes in the fish and invertebrate forage base. Analysis of the 17 year database indicates that lake wide total PCB and pesticide concentrations are directly proportional to both industrial and agricultural activities. Thus, fish communities from the lower Great Lakes consistently have body burdens from 2 to 5 times greater than similar communities in the upper lakes. This is consistent with input from potential sources within the various lake basins. PCDD/PCDF congener concentrations and profiles between lake basins are reflective of the significance of either historical pulp and paper mill inputs or chlorophenol production within the system. Both cohort analysis and foodchain contaminant dynamics of pesticides, PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs display significant interlake differences.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/230846}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Conference:
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