SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1995
STP12687S

Screening-Level Versus Refined Modeling Approaches to Estimating PCB Concentrations in Aquatic Food Webs: A Case Study of Lake Ontario

Source

The comparison of a screening-level and a refined food web bioaccumulation model in predicting tissue residues of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the salmonid food web of Lake Ontario with measured levels is performed. A screening-level model provided health protective (i.e., conservative) estimates of bioaccumulation for invertebrate and fish species in the Lake Ontario salmonid food web with limited organism and ecosystem specific data. The refined model provided health protective estimates of PCB bioaccumulation for invertebrate and prey fish species. The modeled estimate of PCB bioaccumulation in the highest trophic level species (the salmonids) using the refined model was less conservative and underestimated the measured value. Both approaches provided estimates of PCB bioaccumulation within an order of magnitude and often within 50% of the tissue residue measured in Lake Ontario species. The screening-level model provides excellent bioaccumulation estimates with limited data quality and quantity. The refined model requires a more complete data set for use, however, provides more information regarding key factors in the bioaccumulation process for a particular food web.

Author Information

Scott, PK
ChemRisk®, Cleveland, OH
Trowbridge, KR
ChemRisk®, Cleveland, OH
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Details
Developed by Committee: E47
Pages: 111–132
DOI: 10.1520/STP12687S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5292-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-1895-9