Logo image
Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Sediment and Biota from the Delaware River Estuary
Journal article

Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Sediment and Biota from the Delaware River Estuary

Jeffrey T.F Ashley, Megan L Webster, Richard J Horwitz, David J Velinsky and Joel E Baker
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, v 158(1)
Apr 2009

Abstract

bioaccumulation Delaware River Estuary polychlorinated biphenyls
A spatially comprehensive evaluation of poly chlorinated biphenyl (PCB) inventories in white perch, channel catfish, small prey fish, amphipods and sediment within four zones of the Delaware River Estuary was completed during two seasons (fall 2001 and spring 2002). Highest sediment PCB concentrations occurred adjacent to urbanized and industrialized stretches of the estuary. Whole organism t-PCB body burdens (on a wet weight basis) reflected the spatial distributions in sediment PCB concentrations. However, there was considerable variation in PCB concentrations among individual catfish and perch fillets within zones that were not significantly reduced by lipid normalization. This variation suggests that within a zone many factors (e.g., dietary shifts, small-scale heterogeneity in sediment contamination, and non-equilibrium conditions in contaminant partitioning) drive PCB bioaccumulation. With increasing down-estuary distances, all biota except for perch had enhanced concentrations of more chlorinated congeners, especially nona- and deca-chlorinated biphenyls. Specific congeners such as PCB 206 and 209 may act as indicators of unique local sources of contamination within the lower portions of the Delaware River Estuary.

Metrics

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Biodiversity Conservation
Ecology
Logo image