Bioconcentration of Chlorophenols by Early Life Stages of Fraser River Pink and Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, O. tshawytscha)

Abstract

Abstract Chlorophenol content of emergent pink salmon fry from five natal spawning grounds and fingerling Chinook from the Fraser River was determined. Major Chlorophenols identified were pentachlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol. Sources of these compounds appear to be lumber mills using chlorophenol based fungicides and pulp and paper mill effluents. Chlorophenol content was greatest in pink salmon fry from the Thompson River (58.4 ng/g total Chlorophenols). Fingerling Chinook from the Fraser River contained 3 7.7 ng/g total Chlorophenols. The 96-hr LC50 of Woodbrite 24, a chlorophenol based fungicide to pink salmon during the egg-to-fry stage was determined to be in the 100 to 150 ug/L range. This range is about 100 times higher than average levels reported for Fraser River water.