Variation in natural attenuation rates of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish from streams and reservoirs in East Tennessee observed over a 35-year period

Paul G. Matson; Louise M. Stevenson; Rebecca A. Efroymson; R. Trent Jett; Michael W. Jones; Mark J. Peterson; Teresa J. Mathews

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129427

Variation in natural attenuation rates of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish from streams and reservoirs in East Tennessee observed over a 35-year period

Paul G. Matson, Louise M. Stevenson, Rebecca A. Efroymson, R. Trent Jett, Michael W. Jones, Mark J. Peterson, Teresa J. Mathews

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Environmental contamination due to human activities is a major concern, particularly for persistent chemicals. Within catchments, persistent chemicals linked to negative health outcomes such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have great potential to be transported, through adsorption or biological uptake, with downstream locations acting as sinks for accumulation. Here we present long-term trends in PCB bioaccumulation in fish found in lower-order tributaries on the Oak Ridge Reservation, an impacted US Department of Energy property in East Tennessee, USA, and a large reservoir system adjacent to it composed of parts of the Clinch and Tennessee Rivers. Given that the reservoir system has experienced no direct PCB mitigation activities, this record offers an opportunity to explore potential natural attenuation of PCBs within a large lotic ecosystem. Attenuation rates ranged from 0% to 8% yr^-1 in minnows and sunfish at stream sites and 5.4–11.3% yr^-1 in catfish at reservoir sites. These rates are comparable to findings from similar studies in other regions, suggesting a consistency in responses since the banning of PCB production in 1979. Further, results suggest that PCB sources from discharge outfalls are important locally but are not primarily responsible for sustaining PCB contamination in downstream reservoirs.

Original language	English
Article number	129427
Journal	Journal of Hazardous Materials
Volume	438
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129427
State	Published - Sep 15 2022

Funding

This work was funded by multiple organizations including environmental compliance departments at the Y-12 Complex, ORNL, and ETTP, as well as the Water Resources Restoration Program that support the CERCLA-based biological monitoring activities in Oak Ridge, TN. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05–00OR22725. Long-term monitoring programs are investments in future knowledge. As such, we acknowledge the valuable contributions of past and present ORNL staff members that established and enhanced the BMAP datasets. These individuals include Ryan McManamay, Kitty McCracken, Gail Morris, Kelly Roy, Mike Ryon, John Smith, George Southworth, Marshall Adams, Craig Brandt, Sig Christensen, Mark Greeley Jr. Walter Hill, Roxanna Hinzman, Lynn Kszos, Jim Loar, and Art Stewart. This work was funded by multiple organizations including environmental compliance departments at the Y-12 Complex, ORNL, and ETTP, as well as the Water Resources Restoration Program that support the CERCLA-based biological monitoring activities in Oak Ridge, TN. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05–00OR22725 . Long-term monitoring programs are investments in future knowledge. As such, we acknowledge the valuable contributions of past and present ORNL staff members that established and enhanced the BMAP datasets. These individuals include Ryan McManamay, Kitty McCracken, Gail Morris, Kelly Roy, Mike Ryon, John Smith, George Southworth, Marshall Adams, Craig Brandt, Sig Christensen, Mark Greeley Jr., Walter Hill, Roxanna Hinzman, Lynn Kszos, Jim Loar, and Art Stewart.

Keywords

Bioaccumulation
Fish
Natural attenuation
PCBs
Reservoir
Stream

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10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129427

Cite this

Matson, P. G., Stevenson, L. M., Efroymson, R. A., Jett, R. T., Jones, M. W., Peterson, M. J., & Mathews, T. J. (2022). Variation in natural attenuation rates of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish from streams and reservoirs in East Tennessee observed over a 35-year period. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 438, Article 129427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129427

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Variation in natural attenuation rates of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish from streams and reservoirs in East Tennessee observed over a 35-year period

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