T9 AM Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
Tuesday, 15 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in 339-340

(DAV-1117-854169) Monitoring legacy and emerging pollutants at the top of the San Francisco Bay food web.

Davis, J¹, Hunt, J¹, Adelsbach, T², Crane, D³, Phillips, L⁴, ¹ San Francisco Estuary Institute, Oakland, CA, USA² U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento, CA, USA³ California Department of Fish and Game, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA⁴ Axys Analytical Services Ltd., Sidney, British Columbia, Canada

ABSTRACT- The Regional Monitoring Program for San Francisco Bay is measuring legacy and emerging pollutants in eggs of the double-crested cormorant as an indicator of long-term trends and regional spatial variation. Sampling began in 2002 and is being conducted every other year. At each location, 2 composites of 10 randomly selected eggs were collected. One of the three sampling locations was also sampled in 1999-2001 under a different study but using the same methods, providing a longer record of temporal variation. PCB concentrations (sum of congeners) ranged from 1200 to 4500 ng/g fresh wet weight (fww) over the six year period, with considerable interannual variation and significant differences among the different sampling locations. Concentrations of p,p′-DDE ranged from 1400 to 7200 ng/g fww, with less interannual variation than the PCBs and no distinct spatial pattern. Dieldrin concentrations ranged from 1 to 77 ng/g fww, were quite variable among years with no significant difference among locations. Mercury concentrations ranged from 0.17 to 1.17 ug/g fww, and were relatively consistent over time but indicate significantly higher accumulation in the lower South Bay. PBDE concentrations showed some variability over time and space, with the highest concentrations (up to 960 ng/g fww) in the North Bay. Other analytes analyzed and detected in the eggs included selenium, dioxins, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, butylbenzylphthalate, di-n-butylphthalate, synthetic musks (tonalide and galaxolide), and p-nonylphenol.

Key words: cormorant, PCB, mercury, PBDE