Survey of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in fish from the Great Lakes and selected Michigan rivers

Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins (PCDDs) and Dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in Muscle and Eggs of Salmonid Fishes from the Great Lakes

“…The relatively great concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs measured in fishes from Saginaw Bay, Michigan, were similar to those reported by others (Fehringer et al 1985;Stalling et al 1985;Baumann and Whittle 1988;Kuehl et al 1989;Firestone et al 1996;Gale et al 1997;Giesy et al 1997). Concentrations of PCDDs (92-215 pg/g, wet weight) and PCDFs (250-380 pg/g, wet weight) in the muscle of fishes from Saginaw Bay were two-to four-and 20-to 30-fold, respectively, greater than those reported for the whole channel catfish caged in Saginaw Bay during the mid-1990s .…”

“…Coho salmon Lake Michigan: Coho salmon Ͼ Chinook salmon Ϸ Lake trout Lake Huron: Chinook salmon Ͼ Lake trout Ͼ Coho salmon Although earlier studies have reported concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs in coho salmon and lake trout (Fehringer et al 1985;Kuehl et al 1989;Niimi and Oliver 1989;Huestis et al 1997), chinook salmon from the Great Lakes has been rarely analyzed for PCDDs and PCDFs (Ankley et al 1989(Ankley et al , 1991. Our results suggest the accumulation of greater concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs in chinook salmon than in coho salmon or lake trout.…”

“…Since 2,3,7,8-TCDD and 2,3,7,8-TCDF are two of the more toxic PCDD and PCDF congeners (Giesy et al 1994b), concentrations of these two isomers have been measured specifically in fish in our study as they were by several other studies (O'Keefe et al 1983;Fehringer et al 1985;Kuehl et al 1989;Firestone et al 1996). Fishes collected in Saginaw Bay contained 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrations greater than 20 pg/g, which is the regulatory guidelines established for 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrations in fish in Canada (Niimi and Oliver 1989).…”

“…PCDDs and PCDFs have been found in various environmental compartments in the Great Lakes including air, water, sediment, fish, and birds (Stalling et al 1985;Fehringer et al 1985;De Vault et al 1989;Niimi and Oliver 1989;Smith et al 1989;Kuehl et al 1989;Braune and Norstrom 1989;Kubiak et al 1989;Zacharewski et al 1989;Bishop et al 1991;Ankley et al 1992;Hebert et al 1994;Firestone et al 1996;Pearson et al 1997;Gale et al 1997;Giesy et al 1997). A wide variety of sources, including combustion-related atmospheric deposition, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), historical chlorophenol production, and kraft pulp mills, have been implicated for the presence of PCDDs and PCDFs in the Great Lakes (O'Keefe et al 1983;Czuczwa and Hites 1986;De Vault et al 1989;Hebert et al 1994;Pearson et al 1997;Huestis et al 1997).…”

“…Although concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs have declined in wildlife from several locations in the Great Lakes (Herbert et al 1994;Pearson et al 1997), concentrations measured in fish in the Great Lakes waters still remain greater than those reported from several other locations in the United States (Firestone et al 1996;Giesy et al 1997). Elevated concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs have been reported in fish from selected Michigan rivers and Saginaw Bay compared to other locations in the United States since the mid-1980s (Fehringer et al 1985;Baumann and Whittle 1988;Giesy et al 1994aGiesy et al , 1997Firestone et al 1996;Gale et al 1997). While PCDDs and PCDFs have been observed in fishes from Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, Michigan, historical concentrations of these compounds in fishes in other areas of the Great Lakes surrounding Michigan are less well known.…”