Polychlorinated biphenyl thresholds for survival, growth, and reproduction in fish

Session: Chemical Contaminants (2)

Jason Berninger, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, [email protected]
Donald Tillitt, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Ctr., [email protected]

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls persist in the environment and still have the potential to impact aquatic life.  Our objective was to identify data from controlled laboratory studies of PCB-related adverse effects in fish and conduct a meta-analysis on mortality, growth, and reproductive (MGR) threshold responses. Lowest observed adverse effect residue-concentration (LOAER) were extracted from the literature.  The lower limit of applicability was set at 0.1 µg/g total PCB tissue concentration, below which adverse MGR effects in fish were not supported by the data.  Sensitivity distributions identifying the probability of adverse effects in fish populations or communities, predicted 25% of fish species impacted between 0.1 and 7.5 µg/g.  Concentration-response threshold regressions were developed from the MGR datasets. For example, a 1 µg/g total PCB tissue concentration would predict effects of 17% M, 15% G, and 39% R. The analysis determined the degree of adverse response, with uncertainty estimates, expected across a broad range of PCB tissue exposure concentrations in fish.  MGR datasets included only laboratory data; however, responses were compared with field-observed effects. This work provided a comprehensive assessment of PCB-induced injury in fish utilizing a data-inclusive approach.