Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Dibenzofurans in Houston Ship Channel Tissue and Sediment

Abstract

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were measured in sediment, catfish, and crab tissue from 45 locations in the Houston Ship Channel in Texas in the Summer of 2002. Concentrations of individual 2378-substituted congeners ranged from 0. 1 to 42,000 ng/kg dry wt, from 0. 1 to 230 ng/kg wet wt, and from 0.1 to 260 ng/kg wet wt fo r sediment, catfish, and crab samples, respectively. OCDD concentrations in sediments were up to two orders of magnitude higher than those for the remaining congeners, but this signature was not observed in catfish and crab samples. Results from this study suggest that despite regulatory controls on discharges from pulp and paper mills, there has been little change over the last 10 years in dioxin concentrations in sediment and tissue from the Houston Ship Channel. Ongoing PCDD/PCDF inputs from urban and industrial areas along the channel as well as resuspension/desorption fro m contami nated sediments may provide a partial explanation for the lack of change. Simple correlation statistical and principal component analyses were undertaken.

Associations Between Dioxins/Furans and Dioxin-Like PCBs in Estuarine Sediment and Blue Crab

“…A similar proportion (85%) was found for OCDD in 2378 substituted PCDD/Fs in the Houston Ship Channel (Suarez et al 2005). The second most common congener in the present study is 1234678 HpCDD (between 8.4% and 11.5%).…”

“…Yunker et al (2002) concluded that PCDFs from chlorine bleaching in British Columbia accumulated more readily from sediments to Dungeness crab than did PCDDs. Compared with sediments, a greater abundance of PCDFs than PCDDs, especially the octaforms, was also observed in crab (Callinectes sapidus) in Houston Ship Channel (Suarez et al 2005). The objective of our study is to help remedy the incomplete knowledge of these relationships between PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in sediments and crabs by evaluating the connections between the quantity, toxicity, and compositional profile of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in the blue crab (C. sapidus) and sediments in three anthropogenically altered estuaries.…”

“…In aquatic environments, bottom-dwelling organisms such as crabs provide a pathway for the transfer of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs from sediments to humans via the foodchain. Some studies have assessed the relationships between PCDD/Fs in sediments and crabs to some extent (Jimenez et al 1998;Sakurai et al 2000;Suarez et al 2005;Yunker et al 2002) but very few studies have examined the direct associations between the toxic DL-PCBs in sediments and seafood. In a coastal lagoon with minimal human impact congener profiles of PCDD/Fs in sediments and crab (Carcinus aestuarii) were very similar (Jimenez et al 1998).…”

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in municipal and industrial effluents

“…Since detection levels for PCDD/Fs are relatively low (0.0024-1.4961 pg L À1 for dissolved and 0.0038-5.0388 pg L À1 for suspended), samples were collected using a high-volume technique at volumes ranging from 250 L to 500 L to allow for detection of PCDD/Fs, when present, at concentrations above their detection limits. More details regarding sample collection and chemical analysis methods can be found in Suarez et al (2005Suarez et al ( , 2006a and in the SI. PCDD/Fs were quantified by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) using EPA Method 1613B at a commercial laboratory.…”

“…The paper quantifies the concentrations of the 17 most toxic PCDD/F congeners, or 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/F congeners (USEPA, 1994) in effluent discharges from the Houston Metropolitan area into the Houston Ship Channel (HSC), a water body that exhibits elevated levels of PCDD/Fs in its sediment, water, and tissue (Suarez et al, 2005;Suarez et al, 2006a;Suarez et al, 2006b;Yeager et al, 2007;Howell et al, 2008;Dean et al, 2009;Lakshmanan et al, 2010;Howell et al, 2011;Rifai et al, 2013). The purpose of the study was to identify patterns or differences in PCDD/F congener and homolog distribution among different treatment plant types and within the dissolved and suspended phases.…”