T1 AM Contaminat Cycling Assessment and Prevention in the NY/NJ Harbor (Part 1)
Tuesday, 15 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in Ballroom 1

(DIM-1117-124466) The New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan for NY-NJ Harbor: Distribution of PCDD/Fs throughout the Harbor.

Dimou, K.¹, Pecchioli, J.², Wilson, T.³, Bonin, J.³, ¹ Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA² New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, NJ, USA³ United States Geological Survey, West Trenton, NJ, USA

ABSTRACT- As part of the NJ Toxics Reduction Workplan for NY/NJ Harbor, ambient water samples were collected at five head-of tide locations (HOT) and fifteen locations along the tidal portions of the Hackensack, Passaic, Raritan, Rahway and Elizabeth Rivers, and in Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, and Kill van Kull. A Trace Organics Platform Sampler was used to collect a total of 96 suspended sediment phase samples between June 2000 and June 2003. These samples were analyzed for spatial and storm vs. baseflow weather trends in 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs; modified USEPA Method 1613b). Mean total PCDD/F concentrations at the sampling locations ranged between 3.8 and 34.1 ng/g sed. On average, OCDD accounted for almost 80% of the total PCDD/F concentrations; mean total [PCDD/F − OCDD] concentrations ranged between 0.41 and 5.20 ng/g sed at the sampling locations. Mean 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrations ranged between ND and 0.28 ng/g sed, with the highest concentrations (> 0.10 ng/g sed) along the tidal Passaic and lower Hackensack Rivers, and in upper Newark Bay. Mean total PCDD/F Toxic Equivalency Quotients (TEQ) ranged between 14 and 344 TEQ pg/g sed, with the highest levels found in the lower Passaic River. In the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers, and in Newark Bay, toxicity was primarily driven by 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrations. Examples of congener distribution patterns at selected sampling locations are also presented. Estimated average annual loads of total PCDD/Fs at the tributary HOTs, in g/year are: Raritan (1,060) > Passaic (260) > Rahway (11) = Elizabeth (10) > Hackensack (2).

Key words: NY-NJ Harbor, contaminants, dioxins, PCDD/Fs