Document 5LmQOYVgbVrBvmkxJq5mOem6J

Y/ o) C CONTAMINANTS IN GREAT STAFF REPORT LAKES FISH ' JUNE 1975 by John L. Hesse c MICHIGAN WATER RESOURCES COW I SSI ON DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ENVIRONMENTA L PROTECT I ON 'BRANCH BUREAU OF WATER MANAGEMENT O HONS 048892 SOMMT 1. &3T In laa Michigan fish ec-'ftnuM to decline end I* aow !< The 3 pp FDA guideline eaiy in large iae trot. 2. tterc^ry lvels have 4rcf?*4 bale* fba 0.3 riA guideline la nest Lok* St. Clair area fish but regain aoove the Unit In walleye. 3. Oialdrln, which aw averaged just below the 0.3 ppc FQA guideline In Lata Michigan I ana trout and chubs tor yaara, was over tha Halt In five ol six recant shijrant* of ewb* selztd by fBA. Oieldrln aaO eldrin production has racantiy bean suspended by EPa. - 4. Law#It et polyeiiorinafod biphenyl* In Croat lottos fish have not de clined. Largo Mlcon and trout species raaein mo)I over rno 3.0 ppm FDA guide!ie. a. FDA At racantiy tak* seizure action against tow shipments of Lako Michigan fish. '--' a. A no Lika Michigan Tolc Substances Cenaittee was tomod to assess tha PCS situation nd to *ako rocowtondations to EM. c. Advarto PCS attacts. primarily reproductive failure, have boon docuMantad In northern pika, flsh-eatlng bird*, and In oink tod Liao Michigan saloon. 4. PCS oonltorlag skews PCS contaolnatlon to bn ubl^iltou* at low (avals difficult to traco back to sources of Input. 0. PCS disposal oathodt arm Inadequate and taprepar disposal practlcas ara cocnon. 1, PCS't ara present at significant wncanfratlons even In immIiII. g. Laka Michigan Tonic Substances Coaiittaa roso--ondatloas to CPA strassad tr.a nand to saarch for sata altamatlvas for PCS usos and tha loplaoontation of a nationwide dan on PCS tala, distribution and uso. h. Othar raeflwandatlons vara for States to leplanant oKtensive aduca-* t Iona I progress tor safo uso and handling of PCS's during tha intarlM ' parlod iaadlag to a ban. Trend analysis of contaolnatlon lovola should bo continued. o CONTANISANTS in GREAT LAKES FISH STAFF REPORT GOT m> tGGJRT JUNE, 1973 In April, 1974 Mlcblgw CMS officials raporfad (CMS Gomlsslon Meeting, April II, 1974) tha vary plaasanr am that OCT and eordury conteaiAMt lavals in Croat Lana*' fish worn rapidly declining. Thaso downward rroncs or* anflAuing (Figures I and 2) and can be attributed to control eoasurts ieplaeented by our State ogoncloa. la 1949 tha MichI gw Ooparfeant of Agrieultura Issued a total ban on sola of DOT products In Michigan ad foliouiag tha discovery of high aereury levels In the Lake St. Clair aroa fish, Q\R Identified and baited tha Major oorcury discharges. j ODT Is aw Mom tha 3 ppa guideline only In large lake trout of leke Michigan and swa areas of leke Superior. Mercury, while having dec!(nod sharply In aest species In the Lake St. Clair area, reealns above 0.3 p^ ia uailayos free Laka St. Clair, southern Lake Huron wf Laka Erie, narsnt aurvtys also shoe loeawhat elevated aereury levels In lake trout of isle Royals eras of lake Superior. OlSUMlN ' Two contaeiaants continue to plague cartaia Great Lakes fish species without showing evidence of declines. Those ire dlaldrla and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCR's). Although never receiving os such publicity or concern as GOT, dlaldrla has boon o nagging problan la Graat Lotos fishes (particularly In Lake Michigan) for as long as XT. The U. $. Flsn end Wildlife Service Ana Arbor Loboretory data Ifigwe 3) Indicate that residues af this Insecticide have routinely averaged just below tha FOA guideline of 0.3 p(m In Laka Michigan cAubs and o 6 8 8 * 0 SNOW V60SVO SNOW trout. Michigan Seperteanr ef AgrltuITvro antf g.-**t lanes Enulrcroer.ts I CM?[nRt SwfWj (ClCS1 4tt| verity mt lake Midiigi* chubs t<v had Hilfrli eoccantrotlcn* approaching, tut net avenging, aore than the 0.3 ppo Kelt. In April 1973 the Food end drug A4ni alttraflen collected "aarfcet cIka* tuples of chubs tree rlae Lake Michigan coaaerclal f lihercea at various pert*. Five (ranging free 0.31 to 0.39 ppo) of these nine composite sen? I as Manured ever the slidable guide line. The average for the alee aaepla* was 0.31 pp. Since the date those teats ere conducted, FDA has salted 4 Interstate ship' ncrtts of chubs leaving Michigan. Five of these have tested dver the Unit /-> and have Met ordered destroyed. This Mrfca the first tiro In Michigt eetera that legal action has been taken because ef this contentnant la flak. The Insecticide aldrln is chenically related to dlatdrln In that it breaks do*n in the envlroneent to fora dleicrla. It Is leportant to sort that on August 4, 1974, EPA suspended any further production of those two ctaelcsls oecapt for three aleor uses (Tirolte control, root dip for nonrodlbl* crops, and noth proofing]. Existing stocks will bo allowed to bo used according to current label restrictions until supplies are depleted, la the pest 2 - 3 years use has already declined In the Lake Michigan basin since these chwicala ware placed Into restricted use categories by tflseohsin and Mlchlgea and extension agents have bean roaowandlng alternatives for easy uses. POlYOfUMlhATED BIPHENYLS . Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCS'*) represent e serious problae In the Croat Lakes which needs to be discussed at conslderoble length. The reaelader of this report deals >ith the PCS situation. FCB's are a group of coepounda used la tha past In a divers* nufoer ef Industrial WMpouhl and processes. Sone ef the larger usee have seen as o fire-roslstsnt hydraulic fluids and t-sat transfer fluids, Insuistlea in electrical transforoars and capacitors, as plasticisers. and specialty Saks la certain paper products. Active eon)Soring by M'l Bureau of Meter Msmgscent staff of Michigan's tributary ftrases ta tha Croat Lakes identified dosans of industries discharging elevated PC3 concentrations to surface waters. Major point sources of. loss core halted through voluntary actions of Industries Involved switching to replacmnt ccepounds. Monsanto Chealcal Caepsny, tha sale u. S. producer of PCB'S, also voluntarily clsleed discontinuance Of ACM Mies for uses In open Industrial lyituts where losses were believed east likely to occur. This Included )iseo as hydraulic fluids end heat transfer systaes which CM surveys Identified at being the two largest sources ef losses. Because ef these actions and obsarved dacllnas of OPT and aercury following control prograas, ONR staff were encouraged until recently that PCS fish contanlnetlon levels would else soon begin to decline. Lake Mlchlean Fish Contanlnetlon Levels - PCS1* , Trend analysis date for PCB's In Lake Michigan chubs and laka trout through 1974 la new available free tha U. S. Fish and wildlife Service Ann Arbor Laboratory (figure d). Oats fro* chubs, which are considered to be tbe nest reliable Index fish because ef better sedpllag design, shows no significant change ever the period of 1972 to 1974. The concentrations it lake trout are alerolng because of whet now appears to be an lecreese In concentrations over tha throe year period. The (root lakes Envlroneentai Centaolneat Survey (CLECS) date for Lake Michigan lake trout do net indicate any increase In concentrotiaas over the seae period but neither Is there any evidence of e decline. It should be noted that the CLECS pregno, designed ter screening for hotspots In relation to current F&A eontaalnant guidelines, usee fish fillets for analysis rather thee whole fish utilised by the UBF 4 N trend analysis progrse. o MONS 0 4 8 8 9 5 *ooa i Qric Ad--'n:strario* Actic-.s Th# U. S. food and Drug ACsIn Istratlon has recently taken seizure act lea O" several Lake Michigan fisn s?. ijrenti on me basis of PC3 aancentratlont exceeding th* current FO* guideline of 5 parts per all I Ion (ppa). Tnase seizure* came la the vek# ef several press releasee Quoting Oen Haoltoa, Croat Lakes Regional Director of F3A, as reporting tr.aT Lake Michigan chub*, cone saloon, and I aka front contain "dangerously high" levels of PCS'* and tnsf interstate snipaaets vlil be halted If significantly high levels are found la 1973. At e pre*t#fion to the Governor's Crest Lakes hog IonaI Pesticide I In January, Haaltoa advised that a recant toga! decision no* gives .* the authority to act on the excessive PCS levels. The legal decision ha referred to ves a reversal by the Circuit Court ef Appeals over a previews Oistrlct Court decision In the case of U. $. vs. vita Food Products ef Illinois. This case Involvnd chubs which had been edited because of excessive DOT l aval a. The Appeals Court supported FDA that DOT In fish can be censloarad as a food additive, that the 9 ppa Halt ves reasonable, and that the standard AOnC analytical aethodology used in this cast wan edemata. FDA no I lavas that the courts oil I fella* this precedent In future cases Involving PCI's* so they aoved ahead. ' Formation ot a Ha* Lana Mlchican Toxic Substances Committee Fellevlng publicity created by Food A Orug AdBiniatrarloa statements and potions, EPA Region y official* reviewed the currant PCI situation with State > . and Federal representatives on March 2, and concluded thar ever tne PCS contanlnatlen pro*I a* in the Lake Michigan basin was inaoeguafa. A new Lake Michigan Towle SuAetances Committee formed with repniuonTefIon from the States ef Michigan, Indiana. Illinois, and Wisconsin, the u. S. Fisa and Wlldtlf* Great Lakes Laoeratory, EPA Regional officials, aad woa to be chaired 9- * o *y Or. Senate Mount, Oirector ef the Culvth National Mater fceliry laboratoryThe charge of the Cewlttee ves te assess the current statu* ef PCS Information, tha seriousness of T.ie problem In Lake Michigan, ar.d to cake recommendation* to Francis f%yo, EPA Rag I one I Oirector. * Sternary of May 21 * 22 Lake Michigan Toxic Swbstances Conalttee Meetine 1. Mew ToxiODiogicel Oats on Priaafas Cr. 4. R. Allen, Unlvarslty of Wisconsin Madicsl School, presented result* of PCS feeding studies using Missus oonkeya fed diets containing 2.9 to 300 ppa ef PCS Areclor I24A*. These studies dooannt adverse effect* on prI nates at exposure levels auch lower than has been docwanted for ether email I an test species. . 2. PCS Effeetd oa Greet Lakes Biota * A serious situation exists alt* respect to populations of flsh-aaring birds (a tha Greet Lakes eras. Severe reproductive failure has bean Identified in herring gull colonies aromd Lake Ontario (IJC Wafer Quality Objectives Report. May 1973). There It e positive correlation between early aabryonlc mortality and PCS contamination (Gilberts^ aid Fox, 1979). The major affect on youig birds it te product aynptort of cMck ede disease. Tha syptaes are subcutaneous perlo*r<iel and abdoalnal edema, p phyrla, liver necrosis aad nign aortatlty (Gilbertson, 1974; Gilbertson and Hale, 1974; Gilbertson **4 fa*, I979J. Mlchitan effldai* have observed unnatural I y high aortal it la* of gut la in recent yeers from Sg(na< Ray and Grand Traversa Gay. Analysis of the liver and brain ef e deed Herring Gull free Grend Traverse Ray In 1973 showed the presence of 2900 ppa ef Aracler 1294. Monsanto Chemical Cenpmy frede none o feseencbers at Michigan Star* University h*v documented reproductive Ullwra of nrcllly raised aik fed Lae Michigan seioon containing com* ceafrstiens of PCS'* as low as 2 ?f* (Rir.ger, or i., 1972), In another study reproduction <.u eliminated l oink t4 e beet diet cwfteielitg 0.64 ppa Amcior 1254 fPietono* end Kerstad, IJ7J). fC6 contnoI eat Ioo Ms vary recently Moo associated with reproductive failures In fish. Michigan Bureau of Water MbnigenwiT staff docunmted PCS contamination In 099s of spanning adult northam pika as the probable causa of k)9h fry Mortality In fha aarly stages of development IMaybrent, ||74). ' Hatching and survival studies currant ly wtdervay at the Wait laid FIs* Hatehary and tissue analysis of adults and #99 saaples fro* corresponding tots will hopefully batter define this problm. 5. Watershed and Point Source Monitoring Efforts A revlev ves made of tha PCS mattering efforts conducted by each ef the laka Michigan starts. Michigan and Wisconsin agencies, having the oajerify of ttia lake Michigan uatarshad uithln their boundaries, had conducted by far the oost extensive PCS stapling prosraos. - Michigan feraau at Mater Managaaeot has analyse* approxtaatsly 900 Indus* trial ana 350 odWcipal discharge staples. While several cosen Industrial affluents Mva bean Idaatlflad at (avals in excess of ( ug/1 and corrective actlen has bead taken on aany, tb Majority at Industrial dltoierges contain o PCB's at lower levels eiffleult to trace back to a particular use or process. Surveys of approxlaataly 60 Municipal wastewater treataent plant fvdTPl effluents have shown WWTP'a to be eejar point sources of PCS discharge to surface eaters. ^ariF affiunats have averaged approxlaataly 0.5 1*9/1. Soae success has baaa l % tA 9680*' O a^lcvod at finding Industrial contributors within Municipal WcTP's collection systeaa where WWTP affluents Measure I ug/l ar higher. Mist urge discharges Idaatlflad, bath Industrial and mxilcipei, hav nor bean in the Lake Michigan besU but rather la watersheds draining to lake Miron, Lake St. Clair md Laka Erie. Surveys In Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois hav identified only a ire ejor PCS sources. Wisconsin has taken action against approxiaatoly 12 i*Outr the consensus of the State representatives Is that Pa discharges in the Lake Michigan basin are snail but diffusa and difficult to trace by currant Monitoring tetfuilgue*. A telephone survey of 39 Michigan industries reporting PCS usage on Critical Materials reports In 1974 cent 1 mod that usage fa diverse with the continued presence ef PCS'* In a wide variety of products and processes. A total of 20 different products Icing usod by those 39 plants wore identified as containing PCS'*. This clearly paints out that the restrictions against PCS sales Initiated by Monsanto fhmicel Company for any uses other than transferor and capacitor dielectric fluid* hare boon ineffective- It Is probable that aany other industries are alee using PCB-containing products but ere totally unaware of the presence of PCS'*. Another aspect ef the prefeiam Is that PCS residues have been detected la fish md wildlife from rsnota undeveloped localities suggesting ther aerial transport nay play a significant role in PCb distribution. Wisconsin PM analysed tmufell sanplee la five *lclpel areas end found rc8 eoncmf rations everwging appn**iaafly 0*7 ug/l. Considering total dry fallout, rainfall -and snoefail. It appears that atmospheric contributions of PCB's to Uhu Michigan could bo very sign! ft cant. . o 4. disposal Of PCS KaSt* PCa' require special Ir.clsaratioa condition* to achieve destruction. Uxuanto Cnamical Company aiviMi that tepern.rts but ee at loot? 203ft *F vlfh a retention tla# of 4 seconds. Scrubbers oust b* used To remove *Ci vOldi Is a ceabustion product. 8afora any Incinerator It ctoerod for PCS destruction, lasts should M conducted o emissions to determine If destruction Is cogl*T*. Ko Incinerator* la Michigan Sava Soon eloarod for routine PCS disposal. The too* situation aalsts la other Lota Michigan statos. TP# reconaendat Jon has Path hd continual to pa for Industries to return vesta PCS liquids to / ' santo Chemical Coapany for aastruefion. fensanto oporatas a high temperature U;Uer*T*r at its *. ft. Krwmrlch Plant at Sauget, Illinois. lb# cost to industry lor PC8 disposal Includes J.5S par pouad and IS.00 par arim service charge plus shipping expanses. it appear* that because of the high cost of sanding PCS's Pod* to Monsanto, very fee Industries are using this approach. Surveys Ineicate that aeny Industries add PCS's to other vesta oils and dispose of tfcea through waste Mulers. Other practices apparently being used Include use of PC0 fluids for dust control oft roadways and parking lots, long tarn storage la drtms on plant property, and burning in mapproved Incinerators and boilers. All of these can lead re further environmental contamination. Lendl ilia are ganerelly sot considered as a sale aetftod of disposal at ^a*s became of their long persistence and potential for leaching Into surface waters. Oispotel of liquids Is foraiddan in Michigan landfills. >. fliccmendatloAi to CPA Regional Administrator In light of oansldarabia environmental damage and economic iapact of PCS contamination, an absence of any apparent decline In environmental concentrations vita currant control amtnods, the ubiquitous nature of usage, the genu's! lech MONS 048897 of adequate disposal fecllltlos. and the IneScation that atmospheric transport and daposltlcn Is also significant, the Lake Michigan Toxic Substances CovmitTa# has sewirted the following recommunist Ions to francis Mayo, CPA Region f Regional AmaJaisfreror; a. Cnvlroentall| safe altomativas for all PCS uses should bo explored lamedlefely. . b. CPA should puss far naflon-vida ban on the sal#, distribution aad use of PCS's. c. During the iafarla porlod loading to a ban. Individual states should [oplament extensive educational programs to minlats* environ- aantel hazard* of PCS utego and disposal methods. Stares should site oontUvs efforts ta identify sources of PCS (asses to the uni mnmint and taka corrective actions. g. Trend analysis pregiona far Great Lokaa fish cenfaainatloa ravels should ha continued for evaluation purposes. . CPA should urgs fiesnclsl support of additional studies on PCS affects an primates with an emphasis on relating the significance of result* To potential hazards to huaans concern lag PCS's throu^i the food chain. -10- O I TeftATjftt cits GilOarrson. M., 1974. Pollutjnts lfl fcread.Rj fcc.-rlng guilt in tfca loaor 6r**f ***ot. Tho Can. Field NtTunilt?, U: 273*240. Cilbdrtton, M. and ft. Mala, 1174. Early eSryoic nprtaliry in % tarring gull colony la lm Ontario. Tfca Can. Flald Naturalist, Silhartson, M. and 0. A. Fok, l75. Pollutant associated pataegeoosls of **ryo of Groat lakas herring gull*. Science, (In prats). Platonow, l. J. and l. H. Karstad. 1*73. Dietary affects of polyetiorlnated diphenyls an mink. Con. J. Coop. Mod. 37: }*|-400. Ringor. ft. K., ft. j. Aulorlo, and ft. Zatik, 1*77. Effect of dlar*ry potydilor- Inated siphony t on growth an* reproduction of oink. /tear. (ho*. n Soe. National Moating Preprints of Papers, 12: I40-I54. -ayprant, Ronald C. 1974. Kortnam Pika Fry Mortal If las Attrlpwtad to Mycniortnatod Biphenyl*. Michigan Bureau of Motor ^imprirt Staff' FICaftE I TREftOS IN 007 LEVELS LAKE MICHIGAN FISH -ii- O wane wsxrono Md uuecs FiSMcav kMMATnr U. tiSH O *nfiu*c SfAVtCd AMI Moon. mmmEm o *.-* a TREKwS IN ttSRCURT LEVELS CMC ST. CLAIR FISH ncuM TREKOS iH OiEcORlN LEVELS CAKE MICHIGAN FISH ICLMIN ( MM I -J VCA* W.U.FOAO OUT LAKES KISHEKT LKSM&7MY U S Fl$H WILOJK* St*VICl -O- HONS 0 4 8 8 9 9 O o o FIGURE 4 TRENDS IN PCB LEVELS LAKE MICHIGAN FISH methods utilized oirren from standard CONSUMER PROTECTION PROGRAM TECHNIQUES AND GENERALLT RESULT IN SOMEWHAT HIGHEH MEASUREO VALUES THIS OITA SHOULD ONLY DC USED FOR TREND ANALYSIS PURPOSES - I - DATA SOURCEWAYNE WILLFORD OREAT LAKES FISHERY LABORATORY U.S. FISH S WILDLIFE SERVICC ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN HONS 048900