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Publication Summary

Title

Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program: Toxic Contaminants in Fish Tissue and Surface Water in Freshwater Environments, 2003

Month-Year PublishedMay 2006
Online Availability
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Short Description

In 2003, the Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program analyzed 25 composite samples of edible fish tissue from ten sites. Contaminants found were mercury, PCBs, dioxins/furans, flame retardants, and over a dozen chlorinated pesticides.

Fish tissue samples exceeded water quality standards at eight sites: Banks Lake, Sprague Lake, Scooteney Reservoir, Silver Lake, Lake Washington, Lacamas Lake, Roses Lake, and the Spokane River. Few contaminants were detected in samples from Curlew Lake and Twin Lakes.

Water samples from ten other sites were analyzed for 115 chlorinated, organophosphorous, and nitrogen pesticides. Only six pesticides were detected at low levels and low frequencies.

(Also see abstract below)
Publication Number06-03-019
Author(s)Seiders, K., C. Deligeannis, and K. Kinney
Print Availability
Request from the Ecology Publications Office
Number of pages 44 + app (86 total)
Keywords contaminant, dieldrin, fish, furan, lake, mercury, monitoring, recommendations, Reservoir, river, rule, silver, Spokane River, stream, surface water, tissue, toxics monitoring, Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program, water
Subject Waterbodies
Lake Washington, Lacamas Lake, Silver Lake, Sprague Lake, Scooteney Reservoir, Banks Lake, Twin, upper lake, Roses Lake, Spokane River, Curlew Lake, Burnt Bridge Creek, Washougal River, Lacamas Creek, Crab Creek, Rocky Coulee Wasteway, Colville River, Mill Creek, Chewelah Creek
map of Washington state showing locations of subject waterbodies
Related Publications TitleRelationship    
Quality Assurance Project Plan: Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program, Exploratory Monitoring of Toxic Contaminants in Edible Fish Tissue and Freshwater Environments of Washington State.similar topic
Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program: Toxic Contaminants in Fish Tissue and Surface Water in Freshwater Environments, 2001part of a series
Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program: Toxic Contaminants in Fish Tissue and Surface Water in Freshwater Environments, 2002part of a series
Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program: Contaminants in Fish Tissue from Freshwater Environments in 2004 and 2005similar topic
Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program: Contaminants in Fish Tissue from Freshwater Environments in 2006part of a series
Abstract Long Description

The goal of the Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program is to investigate the occurrence and concentrations of toxic contaminants in edible fish tissue and surface waters from freshwater environments in Washington. This program was started in 2001 by the Washington State Department of Ecology due to increasing concerns of contaminants in our environment. The 2003 exploratory monitoring effort analyzed 25 composite samples of edible fish tissue representing eight species collected from ten sites. Contaminants detected included mercury, PCBs, dioxin and furans (PCDD/Fs), flame retardants (PBDEs), and chlorinated pesticides such as DDT and metabolites, chlordane compounds, dieldrin, aldrin, Beta-BHC, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan sulfate, heptachlor epoxide, hexachlorobenzene, lindane, and mirex.

Fish tissue samples from eight of the ten sites exceeded (did not meet) National Toxics Rule (NTR) criteria for the protection of human health: Banks Lake, Lacamas Lake, Lake Washington, Roses Lake, Scooteney Reservoir, Silver Lake, Spokane River, and Sprague Lake. Few contaminants were detected in samples from Curlew Lake and Twin Lakes.

Six contaminants exceeded the NTR criteria and/or EPA screening values in fish tissue:

  • Total PCBs in eight samples – both NTR criteria and EPA screening values
  • PCDD/Fs in seven samples – both NTR criteria and EPA screening values
  • Dieldrin in two samples – both NTR criteria and EPA screening values
  • 4,4′-DDE in one sample – NTR criteria
  • Total DDTs in six samples – EPA screening values
  • Mercury in 12 samples – EPA screening values

    Water samples collected from ten sites were analyzed for 115 chlorinated, organophosphorous, and nitrogen pesticides. Six pesticides were detected at low levels and low frequencies: bromacil, dichlobenil, atrazine, diuron, hexazinone, and terbacil. Stream temperatures measured at eight sites exceeded water quality standards for the protection of aquatic life. Suspended solids measured at several sites appeared unusually high.

    Recommendations include (1) evaluating potential risks to human health from consumption of contaminated fish, and (2) adding eight sites to Washington′s 303(d) list.

    Link to EIM data for User Study ID WSTMP03


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