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Contaminant Analysis of 1981 Fall Run Coho Salmon
(Oncorhynchus kisutch)
David S. DeVault
U. S. Environmental Protect ion Agency
Great Lakes National Program Office
536 South Clark Street, Room 102
Chicago, Illinois 60605
and
Joseph A. Weishaar
U. S. Food and Druq Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
240 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401
December 1982
DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed b.y the Great Lakes National Program
Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Aqency (USEPA), and approved
for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents
necessarily reflect the views and policies of the USEPA, nor does
mention of trade names or commercial products
constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
FOREWORD
The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency was established in Region V, Chicago
to focus attention on the significant and complex natural resource
represented by the Great Lakes. GLNPO implements a multi-media
environmental management program drawing on a wide range of
expertise represented by Universities, private firms, State, Federal
and Canadian governmental agencies and the International Joint
Commission. The goal of the GLNPO program is to develop programs,
practices and technology necessary for a better understanding of the
Great Lakes system and to eliminate or reduce to the maximum extent
practicable the discharge of pollutants into the Great Lakes system.
The GLNPO also coordinates U.S. actions in fulfillment of the
Agreement between Canada and the United States of America on Great
Lakes Water Qua1ity of 1978.
This study was carried out under a cooperative agreement between
GLNPO, US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and the States of
Ohio, Michigan, New York , Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana and
Wisconsin. The samples were collected by state personnel and
analyzed by USFDA. Data analysis and program coordination was
provided by GLNPO.
ABSTRACT
The comprehensive analysis of coho salmon from each of the Great
Lakes by a sinqle 1aborator.y has, for the second year, produced a
set of tissue residue data on environmental contaminants whose use
has been banned or severely restricted. Coho salmon from Lake
Superior contained only trace amounts or low levels of most toxic
substances quantified. Lake Erie fish were contaminated with low
levels of a number of pesticides and industrial compounds with
relatively hiqher residue levels in coho from Lake Huron and Lake
Michiqan. The highest residue levels for a number of compounds were
found in coho from Lake Ontario. Recause of thei r open water
habitat preferences, the contaminant 1 evels in coho salmon
demonstrate open lake contaminant problems rather than point source
or nearshore conditions. The data reported in our study generally
agrees with recent findings from individual state contaminant
monitorinq proqrans although problems with varying analytical and
sampling techniques preclude direct comparisons. However, currrent
tissue residue levels are usually less than those previously
reported and are lower than USFDA action levels b~hich are used h.y
man.y agencies in assessing the severity of fish contaminant
problems. The major exception being the levels of mirex in fish
collected from Lake Ontario which exceeded the 0.1 uq/g action
level.
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