Contaminants of legacy and emerging concern in largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, USA

Science of the Total Environment
By: , and 

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Abstract

We investigated occurrence, transport pathways, and effects of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants and other endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in aquatic media and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River. In 2009 and 2010, foodweb sampling at three sites along a gradient of contaminant exposure near Skamania (Washington), Columbia City (Oregon) and Longview (Washington) included water (via passive samplers), bed sediment, invertebrate biomass residing in sediment, a resident fish species (largescale suckers [Catostomus macrocheilus]), and eggs from osprey (Pandion haliaetus). This paper primarily reports fish tissue concentrations. In 2009, composites of fish brain, fillet, liver, stomach, and gonad tissues revealed that overall contaminant concentrations were highest in livers, followed by brain, stomach, gonad, and fillet. Concentrations of halogenated compounds in tissue samples from all three sites ranged from < 1 to 400 nanograms per gram of wet tissue. Several chemical classes, including PBDEs, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were detected at all sites and in nearly all fish tissues sampled. In 2010, only fish livers were sampled and inter-site concentration differences were not as pronounced as in 2009. Chemical concentrations in sediments, fish tissues, and osprey eggs increased moving downstream from Skamania to the urbanized sites near Columbia City and Longview. Numerous organochlorine (OC) pesticides, both banned and currently used, and PBDEs, were present at each site in multiple media and concentrations exceeded environmental quality benchmarks in some cases. Frequently detected OC compounds included hexachlorobenzene, pentachloroanisole, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its degradates, chlorpyrifos, and oxyfluorofen. Biomagnification of BDE47, 100, 153, and 154 occurred in largescale suckers and osprey eggs. Results support the hypothesis that contaminants in the environment lead to bioaccumulation and potential negative effects in multiple levels of the foodweb.

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Contaminants of legacy and emerging concern in largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, USA
Series title Science of the Total Environment
DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.04.012
Volume 484
Year Published 2014
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Oregon Water Science Center, Contaminant Biology Program
Description 9 p.
First page 344
Last page 352
Country United States
State Oregon, Washington
Other Geospatial Columbia River
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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