Dioxins in Great Lakes fish: Past, present and future

Session: Poster session

Nilima Gandhi, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, [email protected]
Sarah Gewurtz, University of Windsor, [email protected]
Ken Drouillard, University of Windsor, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, [email protected]
Terry Kolic, OMOECC, [email protected]
Karen MacPherson, OMOECC, [email protected]
Eric Reiner, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, [email protected]
Satyendra Bhavsar, Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, [email protected]

Abstract

Dioxins/furans are considered among the most toxic anthropogenic chemicals, and are ubiquitous in the environment including in the North American Great Lakes. Elevated levels of dioxins/furans in Great Lakes fish have resulted in issuance of fish consumption advisories. Here we examine spatial and temporal trends of dioxins/furans in the edible portion (fillet) of fish from the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes using the data collected by the Province of Ontario. Our analyses show that the Toxic Equivalent (TEQ) dioxin/furan concentrations declined between 1989 and 2013 in Lake Trout from Lakes Ontario, Huron and Superior by 91%, 78% and 73%, respectively, but increased in Lake Whitefish from Lake Erie by 138%. An expanded dataset created by combining our data with historical Lake Ontario Lake Trout measurements from the literature showed a greater decline of >96% (from 64 to 2.3 pg/g) between 1977 and 2013.  Based on the observations for the Great Lakes in the context of risk to human health from eating fish, it is concluded that the comprehensive monitoring of dioxins/furans can be replaced with targeted locations and/or indicator species, and the saved resources can be more efficiently utilized for monitoring of other priority or emerging contaminants.

1. Keyword
fish toxins

2. Keyword
human health

3. Keyword
environmental contaminants

4. Additional Keyword
Dioxins