Abstract
Samples of produce (tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and lettuce) from the area surrounding the New Bedford Harbor Superfund site were analyzed for the concentration and distribution of 47 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners. Samples of produce from out of state also were analyzed for comparison purposes. New Bedford Harbor sediments are highly contaminated with PCBs, which may partition into the seawater and ultimately into air. During low tide, direct volatilization of PCBs is likely since the sediment is in contact with air. Also, sediment dredging, from the spring of 1994 until the fall of 1995, daily exposed fresh layers of contaminated sediment. Overall levels of PCBs in produce are within the range observed at local and out-of-state background sites, with the exception of greatly elevated levels in tomatoes grown during harbor dredging. Spatial and temporal differences in PCB concentrations and congener profiles indicate the effect of the harbor and other sources of environmental contamination. Our results are consistent with the view that atmospheric transport and gas-phase transfer play a pivotal role in influencing the concentration of PCBs in plant tissue. This work is an initial step toward gauging the significance of the consumption of local produce as a pathway of human exposure to PCBs in New Bedford before and during harbor dredging.
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