Comparing Equilibrium Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Based on Passive Sampling and Bioaccumulation in...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Ecotoxicology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Biomonitoring at cleanup sites uses organism bioaccumulation to gauge remedial success.
• Assessing bioaccumulation equilibrium is crucial for reliable data but challenging with organisms.
• Passive samplers offer a method to determine equilibrium status.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) bioaccumulation in mussels with passive samplers.
• Evaluate methods for estimating equilibrium bioaccumulation in field-deployed mussels.
• Aid environmental managers in interpreting biomonitoring and passive sampling data.

Main Methods:

• Deployed mussels and passive samplers at New Bedford Harbor Superfund site for three years.
• Analyzed PCB and metal accumulation in both mussels and passive samplers.
• Compared mussel bioaccumulation to passive sampler equilibrium concentrations and evaluated estimation methods.

Main Results:

• Mussels were not at equilibrium with many PCBs during deployments.
• Mussel and passive sampler PCB accumulation were correlated, with best agreement at non-equilibrium corrected values.
• Four methods for estimating equilibrium mussel bioaccumulation yielded varying results, with KOW-based estimates being lowest.

Conclusions:

• Field-deployed mussels often do not reach equilibrium with contaminants like PCBs.
• Passive samplers provide a more reliable equilibrium benchmark for contaminated site assessments.
• Understanding these differences is key for effective environmental monitoring and remediation strategies.