“Long-tail” concentration trend patterns: how long will the legacy contaminants impact the GLs?

Session: Poster session

Chuanlong Zhou, Clarkson University, zhouc@clarkson.edu
Thomas Holsen, Dept. Civil & Environ. Eng., Clarkson University, tholsen@clarkson.edu
Bernard Crimmins, Clarkson University, bcrimmin@clarkson.edu
James Pagano, SUNY @ Oswego, Environmental Research Center, james.pagano@oswego.edu
Michael Milligan, SUNY Fredonia, Dept. of Chemistry, milligan@fredonia.edu
Elizabeth Murphy, U.S. EPA, Great Lakes National Program Office, murphy.elizabeth@epa.gov
Philip Hopke, Clarkson University, phopke@clarkson.edu

Abstract

“Long-tail” temporal trends patterns characterized by fast decreases followed by constant or very slowly decreasing concentrations were found for most legacy persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) contaminants, such as polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichloro-diphenyl-trichlorethane (DDTs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and toxaphene in the Great Lake (GL) top predator fish. The fast decreases can be attributed to regulatory restrictions or voluntary phasing out or replacing of these chemicals in the GL region. However, the recent trends indicate that these chemicals can persist longer than expected resulting in “long-tails” due to: 1) relatively large amounts of chemicals still remaining in existing products, for example, PBDEs that were used in commercial products, 2) long distance transport to the GL region, for example, toxaphene is found in GL fish, however, barely used in the GL basin, and 3) continuous release of these chemicals from GL sediment, surrounding soils and urban areas that are reservoirs of these contaminants that slowly leak them into the environment. Therefore, it is important for monitoring projects and policy makers to quantify the environmental impact from the “long-tails”.

1. Keyword
lake trout

2. Keyword
bioaccumulation

3. Keyword
monitoring