Publication Summary

Article in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 41:339-344, October 2001.

Article in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 41:339-344, October 2001.

A method is described for analyzing polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in fish tissue using gas chromatography with atomic emission detection (GC/AED) and quantitation by compound independent calibration (CIC). The method has the advantage of an element selective response including selectivity between bromine and chlorine. An analysis of fish tissue samples from selected locations in Washington State showed total PBDE concentrations ranged from 1.4 µg/kg (wet weight) in rainbow trout from a remote spring-fed stream to 1,250 µg/kg in mountain whitefish from the urbanized Spokane River. Tetra and penta isomers were the major compounds present. There appears to be substantial between-species differences in the ability of fish to metabolize PBDEs.

Additional note about PBDEs: Because PBDEs were found in the initial screen of Douglas Creek tissue samples (publication 98-e02), additional archived tissue from the Yakima, Spokane, Snake, Columbia and Soleduck Rivers, and Rock Island Creek were analyzed for the compound. The results are discussed in more detail in publication 01-03-033. For additional PBDE data: Sixty five fish that were collected from the Spokane River for a 1999 PCB and Metals survey (publications 00-03-017 & 00-03-040) were also analyzed for PBDEs. The results for six of these fish appear in publication 01-03-033. The remaining results do not appear in any publication but are contained in EIM under project ID AJOH0022

Link to EIM data for User Study ID AJOH0031

Link to EIM data for User Study ID AJOH0022