Document BRY2XMEG1D51YeOamJq3w2614

m ii i AMBIENT CONCENTRATIONS OF PCBs IN THE SOUTHEAST FROM STORET DATA AND SELECTED EPA STUDIES BY R. J. BRUNER, III DAVID W. HILL SURVEILLANCE AND ANALYSIS DIVISION REGION IV U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ATHENS, GEORGIA 30601 DSW 038306 STLCOPCB4022130 CONTENTS introduction ...................................................................... STANDARDS............................................................................... BACKGROUND CONCENTRATION - BIG CYPRESS SWAMP CONTAMINATED AREAS.......................................... .... LAKE HARTWELL .............................................................. COOSA RIVER ................................................................... AMBIENT CONCENTRATIONS .................................................... FT. LAUDERDALE FLORIDA AREA ........................ MIAMI FLORIDA AREA.......................................... '. EVERGLADES AREA ............................................... ATLANTA GEORGIA AREA.......................................... ROME GEORGIA AREA , .............................................. MISSISSIPPI AREA. . . .................................... .... RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................. REFERENCES .......................................................................... L, 1 '1 2 6 6 11 16 16 17 17 17 19 19 19 21 DSW 038307 STLCOPCB4022131 W LIST OF TABLES 4, . 1. Pesticide and PCB Levels in Big Cypress Swamp and Ten Thousand Islands.............................................................................................................................. \ 4 2. Pesticide and PCB Analyses on Biological Samples from Big Cypress Swamp and Ten Thousand Islands for January 1972 .............................................. 5 3. Pesticide and PCB Analyses on Biological Samples from Big Cypress Swamp and Ten Thousand Islands for April, 1972 ..... .......................................... 8 A. Total PCB Concentrations in Water and Sediments of Lake Hartwell ... 9 5. Kean Concentrations of Total PCBs for Various Groups of Fish From Lake Hartwell. ................................................... .... .....................................................................10 6. Total PCB Concentrations in Water and Sediments of the Coosa River and Lake Weiss..................................... . . ............................................................ 14 7. Mean Concentrations of PCBs for Various Groups of Fish From the Coosa River and Lake Weiss........................................................................................... 15 8. PCB Concentrations at Selected Stations in the Southeast ....... 18 DSW 038308 STLCOPCB4022132 # LIST OF FIGURES .i I. Location of the Pesticide and PCB Stations in Big Cypress Swamp and Ten Thousand Islands .............................................. .... 3* II. Sampling Locations PCB Study Lake Hartwell Vicinity August, 1976 ... 7 III. Coosa River and Lake Weiss Sampling Locations. ........... 13 V ( V DSW 038309 STLCOPCB4022133 (pr AMBIENT CONCENTRATIONS OF PCBs IN me SOUTHEAST FROM STORJET DATA AND SELECTED EPA STUDIES (. INTRODUCTION , PCBs and many other similar organic compounds are concentrated in biological tissues by biomagnification through the food chain and through absorption from the water. The magnitude of the environmental PCB hazard in the Southeast has only recently been brought into focus. Previously, envir onmental agencies had not been sufficiently monitoring critical portions of the environment for toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic compounds. Water and sediment samples had been routinely analyzed, but only a few fish flesh samples had been collected. This still remains a critical area which needs many more resources for effective monitoring programs. The discovery of PCB concentrations in excess of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "action level" in edible portions of .fish (5.0 mg/kg) caught in Lake Hartwell led to an intensive sampling program in this area beginning in the Spring of 1976, Subsequently, a similar survey was conducted in the Upper Coosa River Basin. A warning against consumption of fish from the Seneca River arm of Lake Hartwell has been issued jointly by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC-DHEC) and the ' U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a result of actions initiated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-EPD)(1), the following areas are currently closed to commercial fishing: the Coosa River from the Georgia-Alabama stateline to Rome, the Etowah River from its confluence with the Oostananla to the US 441 bridge, and the Oostananla River from its con fluence with the Etowah to the GA 156 bridge. STANDARDS The first area of concern in developing and maintaining a PCB water quality criterion is the protection of humans from the ingestion of PCBs in 038310 STLCOPCB4022134 on Town Creek at Stations L--40 and L-41. The next .highest sediment concentration (18.76 mg/kg) was on the 12 Mile Creek arm of Lake Hartwell (Station L-18), In general, sediment concentrations of PCBs decreases with distance from Town ' Creek and the 12 Mile Creek arm of the lake (downstream from Sangamo Electric Company). . Fish tissue samples collected In both the August 1976 and April 1977 studies show the same general trends as did the sediment Bamples. Mean tissue concentrations collected In the 12 Mile Creek arm of the lake were well above the FDA "action level" during both surveys (see Table 5). The samples taken In the Seneca River area (i.e., Lake Hartwell between the 1-85 bridge and the US 123 bridge) had lower mean concentrations of PCBs than the samples from 12 Mile Creek am, but the values were still in excess of the FDA "action level" for both catfish and stripped bass.* Except for concentrations found in striped bass, mean tissue analyses for the other areas sampled were less than the FDA "action level." Striped bass are migratory feeders which move throughout the lake. The presence of PCBs in their tissue indicate overall contamination, while PCBs in the more territorial catfish and largemouth bass indicate more localized contamination. This is illustrated in Table 5 by the relatively consistent concentrations found in the striped bass from various areas of the lake and the elevated levels in catfish and largemouth bass from the 12 Mile Creek area. Coosa River Fish tissue samples for the Coosa River and Lake Weiss were collected by the GA-EPD, AWIC and EPA between May 7, 1976 and October 22, 1976. A summary * Striped bass as used in this report refers to striped bass (Morone Saxatills). white bass (Morone Chrysops). and hybrid stripe bass (Morone Sp. (Hybrid). 11 DSW 038311 STLCOPCB4022135 of the results from thsp; samples is presented in Table%p" Table 6 gives results for water and sediment samples collected between August 18, 1976 and September 1, 1976. Station locations and areas where fish were collected are given in Figure III. * The maximum concentration detected in sediments (10.9 yg/kg) was in .. . Dry Creek adjacent to the General Electric Company at Rome, GA. This level was reflected somewhat in the Oostananla River below Dry Creek with a sediment concentration of 0.14 yg/kg as compared to non-detectable concentration upstream. This concentration is low, however, when compared to the sediment concentration downstream from the Rome STP (Station C-2) of 1.00 yg/kg. Areas of sedimentation within Lake Weiss (C-5 and C-7) had the highest sediment concentrations (2.4 yg/kg and 1.5 yg/kg; and 3.9 yg/kg, respectively) except for Dry Creek. Water samples collected from the lake showed a decreasing trend from the headwaters (0.13 yg/1) to the dam (0.05 yg/1). The concentration at the Cedar Bluff water intake was 0.12 yg/1 which is below the drinking water "level of concern." All water concentrations were in excess of the water quality criterion for the protection of fish and wildlife. In order to simplify the data presentation, fish species were separated into 6 groups according to similar feeding habits. A mean concentration for each group was then calculated for each area where samples were collected i (Table 7). Gizzard Shad collected in Area 1 had the highest mean concentration (66 mg/kg) of all the fish collected (based on two fish). Catfish had high concentrations in all areas, but the lowest concentration was in Area 2 which had the highest sediment concentration of all the areas where fish were caught. Carp and buffalo, the other bottom feeders sampled, had a mean PCB concentration of 14 mg/kg in Area 2. This was slightly less than the catfish caught in the area but well above the FDA "action level." i . ' 12 USW 036312 STLCOPCB4022136 rffps c Figure III. Coosa River and Lake Weiss Sampling Locations C"' DSW Table 6 Total PCB Concentration In Water and Sediments of the Coosa River and Lake Weiss Station Number Location . Date 0-1 0-2 0-T-1 E-l E-2 C-l C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 CBWI C-7 C-8 C-9 C-9a Oostananla River Oostananla River Dry Creek Etowah River Etowah River Coosa River Coosa River . Coosa River Coosa River Lake Weiss Lake Weiss Lake Weiss Lake Weiss Lake Weiss Lake Weiss Lake Weiss 9/1/76 9/1/76 9/1/76 9/1/76 9/1/76 9/1/76 9/1/76 9/1/76 8/31/76 8/19/76 8/31/76 8/31/76 8/18/76 8/31/76 8/31/76 8/31/76 8/18/76 Total PCB Water mg/1 Total PCB Sediment mg/kgL. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.13 -- -- 0.12 -- -- 1 0.05 0.14 ND^_ 10.9 ND ND 0.08 1.00 0.45 0.76 2.4 1.5 0.70 -- 3.9 0.18 0.88 -- /a - Calculated on dry weight basis. /b_ - ND (None detected). 14 OSK 038314 STLCOPCB4022138 Fish Grouping & Table 7 Mean Concentration of PCBatiL For Various Groups^L Of Flah From The Coosa River and Lake Weiss Area 1 Near Mayos L&D . Area 2 Near AL/GA Stateline ' Area 3 Near Cedar Bluff Water Intake ...... l Area 4 Near Spillway Dam Catfish (Channel/ Blue/Flat head) Largemouth Bass Crappie (Black/ White) Bream (Bluegill/ Sunfish) Carp/ Buffalo Gizzard Shad 46 (4) -- . 20(8) 3.9(2) 8.3(14) -- 2,6(8) 7.8 (2) 5.2(5) .-- 14(4) 66(2) r 46(13) 43(13) 4.6(11) 2,8(8) -- -- -- 8.2(14) 5.9(11) -- -- -- /a - All concentrations are for fish fillets and are reported in mg/kg of Aroclor 1254 a wet weight basis. Aroclor 1254 was the only PCB found in these sampes. /b - Grouped according to feeding and migration habits. /c - The number of parenthesis indicates the number of fish used to calculate the mean. 15 DSW 038315 STLCOPCB4022139 Largemoutb bass, crappie and bream (bluegill and sunfish) had much lower mean PCS concentrations than the bottom feeders or the shad. However, several of the mean concentrations exceeded the PDA "action limit." There is no \ significant trend within these groups. . PCBs appear to be distributed homogeneously throughout the Coosa River- . Lake Weiss area sampled in this survey. Some heterogeneity is apparent in sediment concentrations of total PCBs with high concentrations correlating strongly with areas of sedimentation within the lake. There is no apparent correlation between high PCB concentrations in fish and in sediment. This finding coupled with the detectable PCB concentrations in the water and the high concentration of PCBs in gizzard shad, implies that the PCBs are entering the food chain directly from the water probably through the plankton and/or periphyton communities, and possibly directly through the gills. 'ambient concentrations In an attempt to determine potential PCB problem areas in the southeast, PCB data were retrieved from the STORET water quality file.' The STORET data in some instances have been supplemented with data provided by the states and the USGS through personal communications (5)(6). Data presented in Table 8 represent those stations with one or more observations of total PCB concentration equal to or greater than: 100 pg/kg in the sediments, or 0.1 yg/1 in whole water samples. The values presented in Table 8 are annual and gross means of one or more values and, therefore do not always meet the above criteria. However, in all cases, at least oneobservation met the stated criteria. Ft.Lauderdale, Florida Area There, were a large number of stations in the Ft. Lauderdale area which exceeded the criteria and are included in Table 8. Of these stations, six had 16 J l DSW 038316 STLCOPCB4022140 Table YC* Concentration At Selected Station to the Southeast Station No. lot.tlOK Kean Concentration Sediment 397? PR/kf 1973 1974 1975 1976 Croat mean7^. . Tt/kg ft. Lauderdale Area '>67000080320500 761143060274500 077*4700 07235400 WOH9060172300 7AOA070BD140200 01283700 260743080103100 3601130S0094700 76070:080085800 2605140801)0800 >60333060064300 260707080110600 7600)1060145300 0378)500 02JB7000 07762100 NoHh Nev R. C. *b. S-7 to S-ll C. t lvt 38E nr Andjtovn H, Mrv R. Cn*l t 70 nil. B.nd 1900 48 Bcuth Hcv R. C. ( S- 5 Kiddie 8. . nr Lauderhill 0 Plantation C., KW 85th Ave,, Pla, (02 Plantation M. C. t SO) nr ft* Laud* 157 K. Pork Nrw R. t Tt. Uudcrd.lc 15 H. Pork Hrv A., brvd. Mvd., ft. Laud. -- Rev R. SW 4th 4 7ih Av., Tt. Vmu4. 50 R. Hv R.C. t SI7 32.e Av.., Tt. Uud. 30 Dull Cutoff C.. U. ctf FECW *t. 100 Uinf.ll, 3207 R. 45th Avc., Hollywood, rx -- D.vl* Rd., C. t Pembroke Fin.., IX 10 Hillpborough C. nr Deerfield beach 0 Poepano Ci A Pompano beach 325 Cypreea Cr. C* 0 S-37A nr Pc*. >0 20 -- 343 7 (7 12 80 355 -- 10 34706 0 --- 33 0 90 70 *3 -- 0 15 -560 170 7 68 20 7 -- -- 79 0 >0 2 60 -- 39 0 44 -- 46 31 110 160 1300000 -- -- 110 0 17 0 -- 310 0 0 0 0 0 -- 60 -- -- 0 0 180 36 31 1900 143 8 35 327 209 55 94 51 168158 50 -- 30 0 119 29 (terlra Cone. Will. Uat.r Sm*| vt/i 0.0 0.0 <0.2 0.1 0,0 *0,1 0.0 0.0 <0.1 <0.1 0.0 <0.1 0.0 O.l 0.0 <1.0 Miafti Area JJ*>)9irB0)>I30O 7546]30B01B7000 027B8500('7TI/i) 754B1BOBD)60)00 07290510 tvnelade* Area 07766700 355130080540000 354550080403000 07790670 07790800 lit St. Or*In Ditch, HI**! barrow Pit C. 0 Ludlow ltd. Kiaal C. or Hialeah Well field Dr.fn D. HE Cor. Kf.eil Int. Ml.nl C. ? HU 27th Av*. Miaul C. 0 S-B nr Lake Harbor Cypre.i Sv. nr Jetport Borrow teve. 67C. f S-17E nr Hoae.tc.d Zvtrjlede# P-3B nr Hone.tend Taylor Slonph nr Homestead * 20 -- -- ------ 95 (5 -- -- --* -- 320 -- -- 357 63 28 320 400 110 87 0-- no 0 0 387 -- -- 105 30 0 SW) 0 ~r 1706 -- 60 0 70 -- 50 0 17 155 67 0.0 0.1 0,0 0.4 , -- 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Atlanta Area B770JKM 0770)900 07704070 0?7045?o6L 07704870 02306040 07709560 05010001 (Wl) 12)40001 17150001 17170001 South A. f bouldcrc*eat Ad. South R. 8 Pl.he. Mill Rd. South A. f Klondike Rd. South A. 8 $R8I 0 Snnpp South A. 0 5R36 f Jackson South A. * 1 atlc ab. Alcovy A. tomulget A* ab. Tuaaahaw Cr., Ja, Ocmulgee A. Macon WP) Chattahoochee A. 0 SR9? Chattahoochee A. 0 SRJ6 Chattahoochee A. 0 SH27 Ronr Area~ 14010001 34760001(WPI) 14400001 14430001 Conaaauga A. 0 PAS1800 nr Aeaara Ottftananl* A. 0 Root VpJ Cooaa A. 0 Meyer Coobp A. 0 CA-AL Stateline fpI Area 74>"}5? ' 07485500 boulr A. 0 mouth 0 Hattiesburg ' Pelshatcble Cr* nr fannln /a - Mean (or *11 date for period of record for station. It ---- -- -- 360 -- -- -- >04 -- -- 257 -- 600 -- 780 -- 536 409 300 -- 57 -- -- >27 --* 6000^4- f " 500 3164 -- 760 760 --V 190 _ 180 -- 700 -- ** -- 300 9- 410 - - -- -- -- 16$ -- 930 -- -- -- 1800 *25) 11000 410 -- 165 950 -* 4331 -- -- -- 125 no 1 63 .. -- ,,, -<0.05 fb - vri indicate* that the station Ip located at a Water Treatment Plant Intake. /c - Alto CA-tl'D etaticm no. 04)13001 at pane location. thl " (/d - "SubrtQornt Jnvri t igat 1 on* did not verify number, according to October 13, 1976 letter toa Larry Heal, /c ThJi area la currently under aurvelHence by Ca-tPO, AW1C, and U5-CPA. 18 DSW 038317 concentrations in sediments for this area were high compared to other areas included in the ''Ambient Concentrations" section of this report (10 of 11 >100 pg/kg and 6 of 11 >300 yg/kg). The most critical location in this area is ' station 05010001 on the Ocmulgee River at the Macon Water Treatment Plant Intake, Since the 6000 yg/kg concentration was detected in August, 1975, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has investigated the intake and area upstream as far as Lake Jackson and "no high PCB contamina tions were found" (5). Rome, Georgia Area This area has the highest gross mean concentrations in sediments of any area included in this study. The area is currently under a commercial fishing ban and is being investigated by the US-EPA, AWIC, and GA-EPD (See "Contaminated Areas - Coosa River" this report). Station 14250001 is located at the Rome Water Treatment Plant intake. ' Mississippi Area Only two stations in the State of Mississippi met the criteria for inclusion in Table 8. Of these stations, the gross mean concentrations in sediments at one was based on only one samples collected prior to 1972 and the other has only two observations in sediments the most recent of which was 1 yg/kg. This area, i therefore, would carry the lowest priority for concern of the areas included in this study. RECOMMENDATIONS 1, Surveillance should continue along the Coosa, Oostananla, Conasauga and Etowah Rivera in the Rome, GA area until the PCB problem is abated. 2. Surveillance should also continue in Lake Hartwell, especially in the Twelve Mile Creek and Seneca River arms, until the PCB problem is abated. Striped baas should be monitored throughout all areas of the lake. 19 DSW 038318 STLCOPCB4022142 3. Periodic surveillance, including fish tissue and, aedlmient analyses, should be continued along the Chattahoochee and Ocmulgee Rivers (Including South and Yellow Rivers below Atlanta, GA) Particular attention should % continue to be given to the stretch of the Ocmulgee adjacent to the Macon Water Treatment Plant Intake. 4. Periodic surveillance, including fish tissue and sediment analyses, should be conducted in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and Everglades Water Conservation areas of South Florida. A thorough investigation should be conducted in the vicinity of station 260514080110800 (N. Hew River Canal at SW 31st Ave., Ft, Lauderdale) to determine the source and extent of PCB contamination in this reach. 5. Periodic sampling for PCB and other persistent organic compounds in Bediments and fish tissues should be carried out as part of on-going ambient monitoring programs in order to detect build-ups of these compounds before hazardous concentrations are reached. . 20 DSW 038319 V STLCOPCB4022143 REFERENCES 1. Cutte, Been, "Fishing Ban Expanded to Etowah* Oostananla," Atlanta Constitution, October 14, 1976. 2. Personal communication with Dr. Mark McClanahan, Water Supply Branch, Region XV, Environmental Protection Agency. 3. Quality Criteria for Water (EP-400/9-76-023) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, July 1976. 4. Carter, Michael R., et. al., Ecosystems Analysis of the Big Cypress SwampB and Estuary (EPA 904/9-74-002), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, June, 1973. 5. Neal, Larry A., Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Letter of October 13, 1976 to David W. Hill, US-EPA regarding PCB monitoring. 6. Grantham, Rod. U.S. Geological Survey, Doraville, GA, Letter of October 12, 1976 to David W. Hill, US-EPA regarding PCB monitoring. i i 21 DSH 038320 STLCOPCB4022144