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Title: Spatial and temporal variations of persistent organic pollutants impacted by episodic sediment resuspension in southern Lake Michigan.

Authors: Miller, Sondra M; Hornbuckle, Keri C

Published In J Great Lakes Res, (2010 Jun 1)

Abstract: The impacts of large-scale, episodic sediment resuspension on the cycling of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) were examined using a spatially coordinated air and water sampling strategy conducted in southern Lake Michigan in the late winters of 1998, 1999, and 2000. We found no significant temporal changes in gas phase, dissolved phase, or suspended sediment PCB concentrations despite large-scale seasonal storms occurring before and after sampling campaigns. Only gas phase and suspended sediment PCBs varied spatially. Higher total suspended material (TSM) concentrations and fraction organic carbon (foc ) were measured at sampling stations located in the near-shore region of southern Lake Michigan than at open-water sampling stations. Gas phase concentrations (ýýPCBg) were higher in the west (0.436 ýý 0.200 ng/m(3), n = 11) and south (0.408 ýý 0.286 ng/m(3), n = 5) than the east (0.214 ýý 0.082 ng/m(3), n = 10) and central (0.253 ýý 0.145 ng/m(3), n = 8) regions of southern Lake Michigan. Dissolved phase concentrations (ýýPCBd) averaged 0.18 ýý 0.024 ng/L (n = 52); suspended sediment concentrations (ýýPCBs) accounted for between 4% and 72% (23 ýý 4%, n = 52) of the total ýýPCB concentrations (ýýPCBT = ýýPCBd + ýýPCBs). Despite no consistent temporal variations in both dissolved phase or suspended sediment ýýPCB concentrations, there were temporal and spatial variations in the distribution shift between phases that can be linked to sediment resuspension, not a state of equilibrium. Specifically, our analysis suggests sediment resuspension results in preferential sorption of heavier, more chlorinated PCB congeners.

PubMed ID: 25309030 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication

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