Polychlorinated biphenyls in nonaccumulating, century-old sediments: sources, signatures, and mechanism of introduction.
This study documents the occurrence of highly chlorinated PCB congeners in stream sediment deposited over 100 years ago. Penta- to heptachlorinated congeners (> 80%) have been found at concentrations up to 78.8 ng/g (dw) in core samples of a small, rural tributary of Lake Ontario. Lower chlorinated congeners and other organochlorine compounds occur sporadically; 210Pb and 137Cs are lacking. The most plausible mechanism is accumulation of dissolved-phase PCBs in permeable sediments adjacent to the creek channel. The similarity between core and air samples collected in the drainage basin suggests derivation from a residual fraction of atmospherically derived PCB congeners.
Chiarenzelli
J R
JR
Department of Geology, SUNY-Potsdam, Potsdam, New York 13676, USA. chiarenv@redcreek.net
Alexander
C
C
Isley
A
A
Scrudato
R
R
Pagano
J
J
Ramirez
W
W
D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006114:Great Lakes Region; D010539:Permeability; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D012995:Solubility; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls