Polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) and polychlorinated
biphenyl (PCB) congeners were measured in whole body
and fillet of fishes collected from Michigan waters, including
the Great Lakes, during 1996−1997. PCNs were found in
all the fishes analyzed including those from Siskiwit Lake,
a remote lake located near the southern shoreline of
Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Concentrations
of total PCNs in fishes ranged from 19 to 31 400 pg/g,
wet wt, and varied depending on sampling location and
species. Fishes from the Detroit River contained the greatest
concentrations of both PCNs and PCBs. Concentrations
of total PCNs in fishes from Michigan waters were significantly
correlated with the concentrations of PCBs. As with
total PCN concentrations, the profiles of PCN isomer/congener distribution in fishes varied among sampling
locations and species. Fishes from the Detroit River contained
PCN profile similar to that of Halowax 1014, whereas
those from Siskiwit Lake and Lake Superior contained
greater proportions of congeners which have great
bioaccumulative potential. Estimated concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQs) of PCNs
ranged from 0.007 to 11 pg/g, wet wt. PCN congeners 66/67 and 69 accounted for greater than 80% of the TEQs
contributed by PCNs. TEQs contributed by PCBs, estimated
based on H4IIE bioassay-derived TEFs, were in the
range of 0.06−11 pg/g, wet wt, which were similar to
those contributed by PCNs. When international TEFs (I-TEFs) for coplanar PCBs were applied, estimated PCB-TEQs ranged from 0.46 to 79 pg/g, wet wt, which were 5−10
times greater than those that were estimated from H4IIE
TEFs. PCB congener 126 contributed greater than 50% of the
TEQs contributed by PCBs in all the fishes. Overall,
when similarly derived TEFs were used, PCNs contributed
2−57% of the sum of TEQs of PCNs and PCBs.
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