Distributions of PCB Congeners and Homologues in White Sucker and Coho Salmon from Lake Michigan.
Martin A Stapanian, Charles P Madenjian, Stuart A Batterman, Sergei M Chernyak, William H Edwards, Peter B McIntyre
Author Information
Martin A Stapanian: U.S. Geological Survey , Great Lakes Science Center , Lake Erie Biological Station, 6100 Columbus Ave. , Sandusky , Ohio 44870 , United States. ORCID
Charles P Madenjian: U.S. Geological Survey , Great Lakes Science Center , 1451 Green Rd. , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48105 , United States.
Stuart A Batterman: School of Public Health , University of Michigan , 1415 Washington Heights , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States.
Sergei M Chernyak: School of Public Health , University of Michigan , 1415 Washington Heights , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States.
William H Edwards: U.S. Geological Survey , Great Lakes Science Center , Lake Erie Biological Station, 6100 Columbus Ave. , Sandusky , Ohio 44870 , United States.
Peter B McIntyre: Center for Limnology , University of Wisconsin , 680 North Park Street , Madison , Wisconsin 53706 , United States.
We tested the hypothesis of the proportion of higher chlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners increasing with increasing trophic level by comparing the respective PCB homologue distributions in an omnivore, white sucker ( Catostomus commersoni), and a top predator, coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch), from Lake Michigan. Adult females had the same congener and homologue proportions of total PCB concentration (ΣPCB) as adult males in both species. Hexachlorinated congeners comprised the largest proportion (32%) found in white sucker, followed by heptachlorinated (21%) and octochlorinated (18%) congeners. In contrast, pentachlorinated congeners comprised the largest proportion (33%) of ΣPCB found in coho salmon, followed by hexachlorinated (26%) and tetrachlorinated (24%) congeners. Coho salmon contained significantly higher proportions of tri-, tetra-, and pentachlorinated congeners, whereas white sucker contained significantly higher proportions of hexa- through decachlorinated congeners. Our results were opposite of the hypothesis of greater degree of PCB chlorination with increasing trophic level, and supported the contention that the PCB congener proportions in fish depends mainly on diet, and does not necessarily reflect the trophic level of the fish. Our results also supported the contention that diets do not vary between the sexes in most fish populations.
