title: Comparing sediment equilibrium partitioning and passive sampling techniques to estimate benthic biota PCDD/F concentrations in Newark Bay, New Jersey (U.S.A.).
abstract: Sediment and polyethylene sampler-based estimates of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) concentrations in Newark Bay, New Jersey (USA) benthic biota were compared. Biota concentrations based on sediment were estimated using an organic carbon (OC)-water partitioning model and an OC and black carbon (BC)-water dual model. Biota concentrations based on polyethylene were estimated from samplers deployed in the Newark Bay water column and samplers immersed in a sediment/porewater slurry in the laboratory. Porewater samplers provided the best estimates of biota concentrations (within 3.1×), with best results achieved for deposit-feeders (within 1.6×). Polyethylene deployed in deep water also provided good estimates of biota concentrations (within 4×). By contrast, OC-water partitioning overestimated biota concentrations by up to 7×, while OC and BC combined underestimated biota concentrations by up to 13×. We recommend passive samplers such as polyethylene for estimating concentrations of hydrophobic organic contaminants in field biota given its simplicity and relatively lower uncertainty compared to sediment equilibrium partitioning.
authors.affiliation: University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography (URI-GSO), University of Rhode Island Narragansett Bay Campus, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA(2). Electronic address: clf@mit.edu.
authors.forename: Carey L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography (URI-GSO), University of Rhode Island Narragansett Bay Campus, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA(2).
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lohmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000378:metabolism; D061006:Bays; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D058448:Biota; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009515:New Jersey; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Equilibrium partitioning; Newark; PCDD; Polyethylene