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POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS AND OTHER ORGANIC CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FISH FROM MAJOR UNITED STATES WATERSHEDS NEAR THE GREAT LAKES, 1978
Citation:
Veith, G., D. Kuehl, E. Leonard, K. Welch, AND G. Pratt. POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS AND OTHER ORGANIC CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FISH FROM MAJOR UNITED STATES WATERSHEDS NEAR THE GREAT LAKES, 1978. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-81/549 (NTIS PB82207903).
Description:
Twenty-six composite samples of fish were collected during 1978 from United States watersheds near the Great Lakes and analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and related organic chemicals. PCB mixtures resembling Aroclor 1254 were found in all samples, and mixtures resembling Aroclor 1242(or 1016) were found in 77 percent of the samples. Total PCB concentrations in the whole-fish composite samples ranged from 0.13 to 14.6 ppm; 65 percent of the samples contained 2 ppm PCBs. DDT and its metabolites were also found in all samples. Sigma DDT concentration was 1.66 ppm, and 81 percent of the samples contained 1.0 ppm Sigma DDT. Chlordane ranged from 0.001 to 2.57 ppm in 38 percent of the samples. Hexachlorobenzene was found in 65 percent of the samples, ranging from 0.005 to 0.447 ppm. Other chemicals identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry included petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorobenzenes, chlorostyrenes, chlorophenols, and chlorinated aliphatic compounds. Fish from the Ashtabula River (Ohio), Rocky River (Ohio), and Wabash River (Indiana) contained extremely complex residues of chlorinated and other organic chemicals.