CONGENER SPECIFIC ANALYSIS AND TOXIC EVALUATION OF PCB CONGENERS IN SEDIMENT AND FISH SAMPLES FROM LOWER TENNESSEE RIVER, KENTUCKY, USA

摘要

The objective of this study was to determine contamination levels and bioaccumulation of AHH inducing and non-AHH inducing PCB congeners in sediment and fish samples collected from the lower Tennessee River, Kentucky., USA. Fish species analyzed were largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides); bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus); longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis); spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus); gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum); black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus). The sediments and fish samples were processed and analyzed using standard methods. The results revealed that, in sediments, total PCBs (excluding AHH inducing PCBs) concentration ranged from 4-5 ng/g and AHH inducing PCBs ranged from 0.29-0.43 ng/g dry wt. In fish samples, total PCBs ranged from 34.77-622 ng/g dry weight and AHH inducing PCBs ranges from 0.35-29.9 ng/g dry wt. Toxic equivalents (TEQs) for dioxin like PCBs in fish ranged from 1.3 × 10-3 ng to 8.3 × 10-2 ng.