Table B-10. Environmental Levels of PCBs in Fish (ppt)
Chemical (IUPAC number) |
Fish speciesa |
Tissue |
Number samples |
Number positive samples |
Concentration range |
Conc. mean |
Wt. basis |
Locationb |
Location description |
Samp. year |
Ref. no. |
Comments |
Tetrachloro-PCB (MW=291.99) |
||||||||||||
3,3',4,4'-TCB |
Blk. Bullhead |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
89,000 |
89,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 6 samples |
(77) |
Lg. M. Bass |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
86,000 |
86,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
|
Blk. Crappie |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
43,000 |
43,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 3 samples |
|
Wh. Sucker |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
50,000 |
50,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 6 samples |
|
Coho Salmon |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
2,000 |
2,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
||
Wh. Crappie |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
24,000 |
24,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
||
Y. Perch |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
23,000 |
23,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 5 samples |
|
Br. Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
5,000 |
5,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Br. Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
2,000 |
2,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Lake Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
18,000 |
18,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Lake Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
8,000 |
8,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Rb. Trout |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
6000-11,000 |
8,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Rb. Trout |
Fillets |
2 |
1 |
ND-4,000 |
2,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Coho Salmon |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
8000-10,000 |
9,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Coho Salmon |
Fillets |
2 |
2 |
3,000-5,000 |
4,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
0 |
ND(5,000) |
NA |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
||
3,4,4',5-TCB |
Br. Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
24,000 |
24,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
(81) |
Br. Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
10,000 |
10,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
Lake Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
90,000 |
90,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Lake Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
38,000 |
38,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
3,4,4',5-TCB |
Rb. Trout |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
13,000-30,000 |
21,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
|
(continued) |
Rb. Trout |
Fillets |
2 |
1 |
ND-9,000 |
4,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
|
Coho Salmon |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
2,000-26,000 |
14,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Coho Salmon |
Fillets |
2 |
2 |
8,000-14,000 |
11,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
17,000 |
NA |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
||
TCBs |
Variousc |
Mixedd |
362 |
263 |
NR |
696,240 |
Wet |
Various, US |
Various |
86-89 |
20 |
samples composite 3-5 fish |
Pentachloro-PCB (MW=326.44) |
||||||||||||
3,3',4,4',5-PeCB (126) |
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
0 |
ND(5,000) |
NA |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
|
2,3,3',4,4'-PeCB |
Blk. Bullhead |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
352,000 |
352,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 6 samples |
(105) |
Lg. M. Bass |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
290,000 |
290,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
|
Blk. Crappie |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
114,000 |
114,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 3 samples |
|
Wh. Sucker |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
483,000 |
483,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 6 samples |
|
Coho Salmon |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
45,000 |
45,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
||
Wh. Crappie |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
242,000 |
242,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
||
Y. Perch |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
80,000 |
80,000 |
NR |
Waukegan Harbor, IL |
NR |
78 |
13 |
composite 5 samples |
|
Small Smelt |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
15,000 |
15,000 |
Wet |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
86 |
14 |
composite 48 samples |
|
Large Smelt |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
38,000 |
38,000 |
Wet |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
82 |
14 |
composite 20 samples |
|
Salmonids |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
110,000 |
110,000 |
Wet |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
81-82 |
14 |
composite 60 samples |
|
Br. Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
55,000 |
55,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Br. Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
24,000 |
24,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
2,3,3',4,4'-PeCB |
Lake Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
253,000 |
253,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
(continued) |
Lake Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
101,000 |
101,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
Rb. Trout |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
34,000-138,000 |
86,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Rb. Trout |
Fillets |
2 |
2 |
6,000-50,000 |
28,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Coho Salmon |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
48,000-121,000 |
84,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Coho Salmon |
Fillets |
2 |
2 |
19,000-56,000 |
37,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
427,000 |
427,000 |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
||
2,3,4,4',5-PeCB (114) |
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
57,000 |
57,000 |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
|
2,3',4,4',5-PeCB |
Small Smelt |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
37,000 |
37,000 |
Wet |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
86 |
14 |
composite 48 samples |
(118) |
Large Smelt |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
87,000 |
87,000 |
Wet |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
82 |
14 |
composite 20 samples |
Salmonids |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
250,000 |
250,000 |
Wet |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
81-82 |
14 |
composite 60 samples |
|
Br. Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
133,000 |
133,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Br. Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
60,000 |
60,000 |
NR |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Lake Trout |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
634,000 |
634,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Lake Trout |
Fillets |
1 |
1 |
242,000 |
242,000 |
NR |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
composite 10 samples |
|
Rb. Trout |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
80,000-310,000 |
195,000 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Rb. Trout |
Fillets |
2 |
2 |
16,000-115,000 |
65,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Coho Salmon |
Whole |
2 |
2 |
100,000-271,000 |
185,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Coho Salmon |
Fillets |
2 |
2 |
39,000-136,000 |
87,500 |
NR |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
NR |
15 |
||
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
1.35 x 106 |
1.35 x 106 |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
||
PeCBs |
Variousc |
Mixedd |
362 |
314 |
NR |
564,700 |
Wet |
Various, US |
Various |
86-89 |
20 |
composite 3-5 fish |
Hexachloro-PCB (MW=360.88) |
||||||||||||
3,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB (169) |
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
0 |
ND(5,000) |
NA |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
|
2,3,3',4,4',5-HxCB |
Small Smelt |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
2,700 |
2,700 |
Wet |
Port Credit, Lake Ontario |
NR |
86 |
14 |
composite 48 samples |
(156) |
Large Smelt |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
6,100 |
6,100 |
Wet |
Vineland, Lake Ontario |
NR |
82 |
14 |
composite 20 samples |
Salmonids |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
34,000 |
34,000 |
Wet |
Lake Ontario |
NR |
81-82 |
14 |
composite 60 samples |
|
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
79,000 |
79,000 |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
||
2,3,3',4,4',5'-HxCB (157) |
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
76,000 |
76,000 |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
|
2,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB (167) |
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
77,000 |
77,000 |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
|
HxCBs |
Variousc |
Mixedd |
362 |
321 |
NR |
355,930 |
Wet |
Various, US |
Various |
86-89 |
20 |
composite 3-5 fish |
Heptachloro-PCB (MW=396.33) |
||||||||||||
2,3,3',4,4',5,5'-HpCB (189) |
Carp |
Whole |
1 |
1 |
29,000 |
29,000 |
NR |
Saginaw Bay |
NR |
NR |
16 |
|
HpCBs |
Variousc |
Mixedd |
362 |
250 |
NR |
96,700 |
Wet |
Various, US |
Various |
86-89 |
20 |
composite 3-5 fish |
Footnote References
a
Blk. = Black; Lg. M. = Large Mouth; Wh. = White; Y. = Yellow; Br. = Brown; Rb. = Rainbowb
US = samples taken from 362 sites across the US, including industrial and background sites.c
Species were taken from both bottom feeders and open water feeders, and then composited.d
Whole fish samples and fillet samples were combined for analysis.
NOTES: Summary statistics provided in or derived from references; when reference did not compute composite, it was computed using one-half the detection limit for non-detects;
NA = not applicable;
ND = non-detected (limit of detection);
NR = not reported;
Descriptions provided were those given by reference or surmised from study description when not given.
Sources: 13. Huckins, et al. (1988)
14. Oliver and Niimi (1988)
15. Niimi and Oliver (1989b)
16. Smith, et al. (1990)
20. USEPA (1991)