title: PCDD/F and PCB in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) from British Columbia: response to exposure to pulp mill effluents.
abstract: Blubber of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) sampled from the Strait of Georgia, BC, in 1991 and 1992 contained higher concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/F) than did samples from Quatsino Sound on western Vancouver Island. The higher proportions of 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzodioxin and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran in the Strait of Georgia samples probably reflect contamination arising from the discharge of effluents from bleached kraft mills. Higher concentrations of non-ortho- and mono-ortho substituted polychlorinated biphenyls were also found in the Strait of Georgia samples, probably as a result of general industrial activity in the region. Principal components analysis showed that residues were distributed differently between males and females. Within males, concentrations of PCDD, PCDF and PCBs appeared to increase with age. Toxic equivalents (TEQ) to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin in the Quatsino Sd. samples were close to the working guidelines for edible fish used by Health Canada; TEQ calculated for the Strait of Georgia samples exceeded these guidelines by up to a factor of five.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Institute of Ocean Sciences, P.O. Box 6000, Sidney, BC, Canada V8L 4B2. rfaddison@saltspring.com
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Addison
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ikonomou
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001955:British Columbia; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008297:Male; D010209:Paper; D046049:Phoca; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls