title: PCB contamination in surface sediments in the coastal waters of Costa Rica.
abstract: This paper describes the initial investigation of PCB concentrations in four geographical regions (three on the Pacific and one in the Caribbean) of coastal Costa Rica: Bahia Culebra, Golfo Dulce, Golfo de Nicoya, and Limón. Overall total concentrations of PCB were low in all areas except around the port of Golfito (Golfo Dulce). Overall average concentration is 2.80 ng/g dw, with a standard deviation of 2.75. The low concentration could be due to lack of contamination or the subsequent degradation in the warm climate, or the low sorptive capacity of the sediment. Further investigation is ongoing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Mail Stop 604, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606-3390, USA. aspongb@utnet.utoledo.edu
authors.forename: Alison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Spongberg
mesh_terms: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis; D002713:Chlorine / Q000032:analysis; D002980:Climate; D003364:Costa Rica; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D012623:Seawater; D013696:Temperature; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D002713:Chlorine; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls