PARENT SESSION
SP4 - Communicating Science & Environmental Risks
Chair: Solbe, John¹, ¹
Co-chair: Cowan-Ellsberry, Chris², ² The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH
2:10 PM to 5:30 PM - Sunday, 17 November 2002
Room Ballroom F

(114) Assessment and communication of risks associated with consumption of finfish/shellfish residing in Maryland waters: Lessons Learned.

Beaman, Joseph^*,1, Carlson, Kent¹, Eskin, Richard¹, ¹ Maryland Department of the Environment, Baltimore, MD, USA

ABSTRACT- The Maryland Department of the Environment has the responsibility to protect its citizens from harm due to exposure to environmental contaminants. One potential exposure pathway is the ingestion of fish tissue in which environmental contaminants have accumulated. The Department maintains a fish-tissue sampling network throughout the State and regularly collects and analyzes tissues from a variety of fish and shellfish. If the contaminant concentration exceeds the human health risk-based value for that particular contaminant, an advisory was issued for that location. The advisory specifies the fish specie(s), advisory location, chemical(s) of concern, and guidance on consumption for specific populations at risk. The values are derived from human health-based risk assessments for each contaminant. An acceptable risk level of 10-5 was used for both carcinogenic (e.g., PCBs) and non-carcinogenic (e.g., mercury) risk evaluations. Only data derived from the analysis of fish fillet(s) were used, since this tissue is directly applicable as an exposure source. Finfish fillet analyses from 6 game species and 5 accumulator (benthic-associated) species indicated that for data collected between 1995-2000, numerous basins contained finfish with PBT concentrations exceeding the concentration thresholds for both carcinogenic (PCBs, chlorinated pesticides) and non-carcinogenic (mercury) risk in the State. Elevated levels of mercury were observed in piscivorous gamefish inhabiting freshwater impoundments, whereas elevated organics (PCBs and pesticides) were observed consistently in accumulator and game species sampled in portions of Chesapeake Bay tributaries. In some instances, fish were contaminated with more than one carcinogen (chlordane, heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin and DDT) at levels above the MDE-established risk-based concentration thresholds, although PCBs were the primary contaminant of concern. Risk assessment methodology, as well as communication, education, and outreach efforts and strategies will be discussed.

Key words: risk assessment, communication, fish consumption advisory, Maryland