Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #140044
Title: SURVEY OF ALKYLPHENOL AND ALKYLPHENOL ETHOXYLATES IN FISH FROM THE GREAT LAKES AND FROM CONTAMINATED US RIVERS NEAR THE GREAT LAKES

Author
item Rice, Clifford
item SCHMITZ-AFONSO, ISABELLE - USDA/FAS
item AVILES, MARIA DE LA PAZ - UNIV. OF MARYLAND
item HOFFMAN, BRIAN - VA POLYTECHNICAL UNIV.
item SMITH, STEPHEN - USGS
item GANNON, JOHN - USGS
item BEGNOCHE, LINDA - USGS

Submitted to: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Elevated residues of alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) have been documented to occur in fish collected near waste water treatment plants (WWTP). Studies have indicated that exposure to these compounds may cause endocrine effects. Most of these environmental studies come to us from Europe and the United Kingdom; very little US data exist. In a collaborative effort with US EPA, we conducted an exploratory study of carp and selected top-predator fish from the Great Lakes and from some effluent-dominated rivers in Chicago, Detroit, and St. Paul. At each of the more contaminated sites, carp were found to be excellent accumulators of APEs while large mouth bass collected from our Detroit river site accumulated only about one-tenth as much total APE as were measured in carp at this site. Carp from the North Branch of the Chicago River had the highest average level of APEs (16 mg/kg fresh wt.), and walleye collected from the St. Paul metropolitan outfall had the next highest average level of APEs (6.1 mg/kg fresh wt.). Average levels of APEs in carp at the other contaminated sites ranged from 1.6 to 2.3 mg/kg fresh weight. In most samples, the total AP and APEO were composed of the main APE groupings, the non-substituted form of NP and OP plus the 1 and 2 ethoxymers. Generally AP1EO contributed most to the total; however, at some locations, the 3 ethoxymer was also measured. Low but detectable levels of APEs were measured in Lake trout obtained from Lake Michigan, near Saugatuck (24 ug/kg-NP only).