Congener Patterns of Persistent Organic Pollutants Establish the Extent of Contaminant Biotransport by Pacific Salmon in the Great Lakes

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05091
• Publication Date: 2015-12-07T19:56:56Z
• Authors: Brandon S. Gerig; Dominic T. Chaloner; David J. Janetski; Richard R. Rediske; James P. O’Keefe; Ashley H. Moerke; Gary A. Lamberti
• Keywords: Congener; Cottus; Toxaphene

In the Great Lakes, introduced Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) can transport persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), to new environments during their spawning migrations. To explore nature extent of POP biotransport by salmon, we compared 58 PCB 6 PBDE congeners found in directly those resident stream fish. We hypothesized that fish exposed spawners would have congener patterns similar presumed contaminant source. Using permutational multivariate analysis variance (PERMANOVA) nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), varied among regions Lakes basin (i.e., Lake Huron, Michigan, or Superior), tissue type (whole eggs), (PCB PBDE). For stream-resident fish, pattern was influenced presence location Basin), species identity brook trout [Salvelinus fontinalis] mottled sculpin [Cottus bairdii]). Similarity indicated are a source POPs reaches receiving from Michigan Huron but not Superior. Congener differed suggesting either use differing degrees, acquire different dietary sources, bioaccumulate metabolize differently. Overall, our analyses identified important role also demonstrated salmon-mediated transfer uptake tributaries is location- species-specific.