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| Title | Control of Toxic Chemicals in Puget Sound: Phase 2, Development of simple numerical models: The long-term fate and bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls in Puget Sound. | |||
| Month-Year Published | April 2009 | |||
| Online Availability |
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| Short Description |
Models of fate, transport, and bioaccumulation predict PCB concentrations in water, sediment, and biota in ten basins within Puget Sound. Results indicate that reducing external loads of PCBs is key to reducing PCB concentrations within the aquatic food web in the future. The models can be adapted to other toxic contaminants. (Also see abstract below) | |||
| Publication Number | 09-03-015 | |||
| Author(s) | Pelletier, G. and T. Mohamedali | |||
| Print Availability | ||||
| Number of pages | 128 + app (205 total) | |||
| Keywords | basin, chemical, chlorinated, model, Puget Sound, reduction, toxic, trend, urban, water | |||
| Subject Waterbodies |
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| Related Web Content | Puget Sound Toxics web page | |||
| Abstract | Long Description |
This study develops computer prediction tools to predict the concentration of PCBs in water, sediment, and biota of Puget Sound. The tools include a box model that is capable of predicting concentrations of PCBs in two water column layers and a sediment layer for 10 inter-connected basins in Puget Sound. The tools also include a food web bioaccumulation model to predict concentrations of PCBs in the aquatic food web of Puget Sound. Concentrations of PCBs in sediments and biota were found to be very sensitive to external loading. Considering the wide range of uncertainty in external loading of toxic contaminants, it is possible the mass of PCBs in the aquatic ecosystem of Puget Sound may either increase or decrease over time with current loading levels. The model response to the median estimate of loading suggests that loads may have increased recently, possibly due to increases in loading from nonpoint (diffuse) sources. Limited available biota data possibly corroborate an increasing trend in loading. Concentrations of PCBs appear to be increasing in the large basins and decreasing in the urban bays. Reduction of external loading is predicted to be effective to reduce future concentrations of PCBs in the water, sediment, and biota of Puget Sound. This would involve implementing comprehensive source control measures and best management practices to reduce contaminants that enter runoff from residential, commercial/industrial, forest, and agricultural watershed areas. Reduction of current loading is recommended to decrease PCB concentrations in sediment and biota from what would otherwise occur. The modeling framework for quantifying fate, transport, and bioaccumulation of PCBs is adaptable for the evaluation of other toxic contaminants. |
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