Presentation Abstract

Lake Washington fish have the second highest concentrations of PCBs in Washington State. PCB concentrations measured in Lake Washington fish resulted in a fish consumption advisory on cutthroat trout, northern pike, minnow, yellow perch and carp in 2004 (WADOH 2004). Also, PBDEs are potentially bioaccumulating in Lake Washington fish but this hasn’t been documented. As a first step toward understanding the relative importance of major contaminant loading pathways contributing PCBs and PBDEs to the watershed, whole water samples were collected from stormwater (including highway bridge runoff), combined sewer overflow (CSO), tributaries, rivers, and atmospheric deposition pathways entering Lake Washington and the Ship Canal. Stormwater was sampled in base flow and storm conditions. Atmospheric deposition was sampled using a bulk air (dry and wet) approach. Samples were also collected from ambient waters of Lake Washington and the Ship Canal to support a later modeling phase of the project. Sampling stations were located in Seattle, Kirkland, Renton, Mercer Island and on the I-90 floating bridge. Samples were analyzed for 209 PCB congeners and nine PBDE congeners as well as total suspended solids, dissolved organic carbon and total organic carbon. In total, 146 samples were collected and analyzed. The final validated concentrations of total PCBs and PBDEs will be presented and compared between locations and pathways. These data were used to estimate total PCB and PBDE loadings to Lake Washington, the Ship Canal and the net loads to Puget Sound, which is the subject of another conference presentation.

Session Title

Session S-06B: Lake Washington's PCB Fish Advisory: How Do We Make Progress?

Conference Track

Toxics

Conference Name

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)

Document Type

Event

Start Date

1-5-2014 1:30 PM

End Date

1-5-2014 3:00 PM

Location

Room 608-609

Genre/Form

conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)

Contributing Repository

Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Subjects – Topical (LCSH)

Urban runoff--Washington (State)--Washington, Lake, Watershed; Water--Pollution--Total maximum daily load--Washington (State)--Washington, Lake, Watershed; Polychlorinated biphenyls--Environmental aspects--Washington (State)--Washington, Lake, Watershed; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers--Environmental aspects--Washington (State)--Washington, Lake, Watershed;

Geographic Coverage

Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Washington, Lake, Watershed (Wash.)

Rights

This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Type

Text

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

COinS
 
May 1st, 1:30 PM May 1st, 3:00 PM

The Lake Washington PCB/PBDE Study: Concentrations Measured in Stormwater and Other Major Pathways to the Lake Washington Watershed

Room 608-609

Lake Washington fish have the second highest concentrations of PCBs in Washington State. PCB concentrations measured in Lake Washington fish resulted in a fish consumption advisory on cutthroat trout, northern pike, minnow, yellow perch and carp in 2004 (WADOH 2004). Also, PBDEs are potentially bioaccumulating in Lake Washington fish but this hasn’t been documented. As a first step toward understanding the relative importance of major contaminant loading pathways contributing PCBs and PBDEs to the watershed, whole water samples were collected from stormwater (including highway bridge runoff), combined sewer overflow (CSO), tributaries, rivers, and atmospheric deposition pathways entering Lake Washington and the Ship Canal. Stormwater was sampled in base flow and storm conditions. Atmospheric deposition was sampled using a bulk air (dry and wet) approach. Samples were also collected from ambient waters of Lake Washington and the Ship Canal to support a later modeling phase of the project. Sampling stations were located in Seattle, Kirkland, Renton, Mercer Island and on the I-90 floating bridge. Samples were analyzed for 209 PCB congeners and nine PBDE congeners as well as total suspended solids, dissolved organic carbon and total organic carbon. In total, 146 samples were collected and analyzed. The final validated concentrations of total PCBs and PBDEs will be presented and compared between locations and pathways. These data were used to estimate total PCB and PBDE loadings to Lake Washington, the Ship Canal and the net loads to Puget Sound, which is the subject of another conference presentation.