Abstract
Little is known about the presence and effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in Puerto Rico's waters. Four coastal aquatic systems were investigated using low-density polyethylene passive sampling for PCBs and OCPs in water and its overlying air. The highest total freely dissolved and gaseous concentrations of PCBs were found in Guánica Bay, with 4000pg/L and 270pg/m3, respectively. Five OCPs were detected, mainly in water, with greatest concentrations (pg/L) in Guánica Bay: α-HCH (7400), p,p'-DDE (390), aldrin (2000), dieldrin (420), and endrin (77). The compound α-HCH was also measured at elevated water concentrations in Condado Lagoon (5700pg/L) and Laguna Grande (2900pg/L). Jobos Bay did not show values of concern for these persistence organic pollutants. Levels of PCBs and OCPs in water, particularly in Guánica Bay, exceeded USEPA ambient water quality criteria values representing a human health risk regarding consumption of aquatic organisms.
Highlights
TITLE: Passive Sampling of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Four Coastal Aquatic Systems of Puerto Rico: A Pilot Study
The average percent recovery of Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) surrogate standards spiked to water and air sample extracts (n = 7 of each) ranged from 30 - 141% and 36 - 189%, respectively
In field and laboratory blanks, individual values of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were as high as 1.50 ng/PE, and 3.84 ng/PE, respectively
Summary
TITLE: Passive Sampling of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Four Coastal Aquatic Systems of Puerto Rico: A Pilot Study. POPs with values equal or above 0.42 ng/PE passive sampler were reported in pg/L and pg/m3 for water and air samples, respectively. Of the 29 PCBs congeners analyzed, at least seven were detected in waters, and five in air, from three of the four aquatic systems included in this study: Guánica Bay, Condado Lagoon, and Laguna Grande (Table 1).
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