Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been monitored in perch (Perca fluviatilis), pike (Esox lucius), and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in reference lakes since the late 1960s. Temporal trends and spatial patterns are currently monitored in nine and 32 lakes, respectively. Overall, PCB concentrations are decreasing. However, this is not consistent for all congeners across all lakes and species. Perch has comparatively low PCB concentrations relative to suggested target levels, but individual congener concentrations in some lakes are concerningly high. No temporal trend is seen for CB-118 and CB-153 in perch, but significant decreasing trends exist for Arctic char and pike, for which monitoring started earlier than for perch. The lower/higher chlorinated congener ratio decreased over time in most lakes, indicating fewer new emissions. CB-118 and CB-153 concentrations in perch show spatial gradients across Sweden, with higher concentrations found near urban/industrial areas.
Highlights
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are one of the 12 groups of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) originally included in the Stockholm Convention on POPs.1 PCBs have been used in a wide variety of manufacturing processes, especially as plasticizers and insulators, and are widely distributed in the environment
We examine temporal and spatial relationships of PCB congeners (CB-28, CB-52, CB-101, CB-118, CB-138, CB-153 and CB-180) in pike (E. lucius), Arctic char (S. alpinus) and perch (P. fluviatilis) to evaluate (1) concentrations over time in relation to imposed bans and restrictions; (2) spatial congener differences across Sweden; (3) concentrations against set environmental target levels; and (4) how monitoring design may affect the interpretation of these trends
No trend was observed for the perch time series, but this is most likely due to the short duration of these time series and because monitoring in perch started after the steep decrease, during the 1980s and 1990s, observed for pike and Arctic char
Summary
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are one of the 12 groups of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) originally included in the Stockholm Convention on POPs. PCBs have been used in a wide variety of manufacturing processes, especially as plasticizers and insulators, and are widely distributed in the environment. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are one of the 12 groups of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) originally included in the Stockholm Convention on POPs.. In 1973, PCB use was banned http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ThePOPs/ListingofPOPs/tabid/ 2509/Default.aspx. In 1978, the ban was extended to prohibit all new use of PCBs. PCBs can influence human health by affecting multiple organ systems (Carpenter 1998, 2006). PCBs can influence human health by affecting multiple organ systems (Carpenter 1998, 2006) Their toxicological effects on, for example, reproduction in mink are well documented (Aulerich and Ringer 1977; Bleavins et al 1980). The concentrations of PCBs are generally positively correlated with the trophic position of a fish population within an aquatic food chain and are high in predatory fish species The concentrations of PCBs are generally positively correlated with the trophic position of a fish population within an aquatic food chain and are high in predatory fish species (Brazovaet al. 2012)
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