Lake Superior Environmental Chemical Contamination By Kory Groetsch Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Melanie Neilson Environment Canada Mike Whittle Department of Fisheries and Oceans Pat McCann Minnesota Department of Health Photo by Nancy Larson, WDNR

Acknowledgements R. Day, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality D. V. Weseloh, Environment Canada S. Buehler, Indiana University J. M. Luross, University of Guelph J. Jeremiason, MN Pollution Control Agency D. Swackhamer, University of Minnesota D.J. Anderson, US. EPA, GLNPO D. DeVault, US Fish and Wildlife Service A. Li, Environment Canada L. Chan, Environment Canada

Chemical Goals For the Great Lakes & Lake Superior Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement –Article 2: Restore & maintain chemical, physical, and biological integrity. –Annex 2: Restore unrestricted fish & wildlife consumption. Strategic Plan (GLFC) –Wholesome food and healthy aquatic ecosystems. Lake Superior Fish Community Objective (LSC) –Reduce contaminants so that all fish are safe to eat. Great Lakes Strategy 2002 (US EPA) –Vision Statement: All Great Lakes fish are safe to eat. –Promote safe consumption of Great Lakes fish and wildlife.

PBT Chemicals to be Discussed Sport Fish Consumption Advisory Chemicals –Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) –Toxaphene –Methyl mercury –Dioxins –Chlordane Monitored Chemicals –Dieldrin –DDT –Hexachlorocyclohexane (Lindane) –Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) –Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) –Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)

Characteristics that Impact Chemical Accumulation in Lake Superiors Ecosystem Great Lakes: 1 st in Area, Volume & Depth World Wide: 2 nd by Volume, 4 th by Area Long Water Retention Time Cold Water Temperature Food Web Structure

ATMOSPHERE

Atmospheric: Wet Deposition DATA SOURCE: IADN Buehler et al a-HCHg-HCHDieldrinp,p-DDDp,p-DDEHCBI-PCBp,p-DDT

HCH Trends in Usage and Wet Deposition DATA SOURCE: A. Li 1999, C.H. Chan, Environment Canada

Atmospheric Inputs/Output of PCBs DATA SOURCE: Evaluation of Persistence and Long Range Transport of Organic Chemicals in the Environment. Chapter 7. edited Klecka at al., Jeremiason et al. ES&T (28) 1994.

WATER

Water Concentrations DATA SOURCES: Environment Canada, M. Neilson; Anderson et al. 1999, J. Great Lakes Res. (25); Jeremiason et al. 1998, EST (32) Not Detected (ng/L)

CONCENTRATIONS IN HERRING GULL EGGS AND WHOLE LAKE TROUT

PCBs in Herring Gull eggs – Lake Superior, Agawa Rks. Granite I. log ug/g, wet weight DATA SOURCES: Environment Canada, D.V. Weseloh

Mercury in Herring Gull eggs - Lake Superior, Granite I. Agawa Rks. ug/g, wet weight Year DATA SOURCES: Environment Canada, D.V. Weseloh

Herring Gull Eggs - Lake Superior, /

PCBs in 4 yr old Whole Lake Trout DATA SOURCE: Dept of Fisheries & Oceans, M. Whittle

Total Mercury in 4 yr old Whole Lake Trout DATA SOURCE: Dept of Fisheries & Oceans, M. Whittle

Toxaphene Trends in Whole Lake Trout DATA SOURCE: Whittle et al., Chemosphere (40) Total Toxaphene (mg/kg wwt.)

Herring Sculpin R. Smelt 1.02 ppm 0.55 ppm0.29 ppm Food Web Structure Impact on Toxaphene Dominant food 1986 to 1998 Dominant 1978 to 1986 DATA SOURCE: Adapted from M. Whittle et al., Chemosphere (40) Lean Lake Trout Concentrations have not Declined

Comparisons Between the Great Lakes

Lean Lake Trout: Relative to Lake Ontario DATA SOURCE: Luross et al. 2002, Chemosphere 46

Whole Lean Lake Trout DATA SOURSE: US EPA D. DeVault et al. 1996; via Bob Day, MI DEQ Concentration (ppm)

PBDE & PBB – 6 yr Whole Lake Trout DATA SOURCE: Luross et al. 2002, Chemosphere 46

Presence of chemicals does NOT = negative health effects –Significant exposure is required –Human exposure data are very limited. Exposure Pathways. –Air & Water: NOT a direct concern for PBTs –Food: Major exposure pathway, particularly fish consumption. Fish advisories will likely not decline in the foreseeable future. –Small declines in fish concentrations will not = changes in fish advice. –New information on toxicity could result in more restrictive advisories. –Emerging contaminants may become part of fish consumption advisories. Human Health

Final Comments Regulatory actions have been very effective Lake Superior has unique characteristics that make it susceptible to retaining chemicals, sets it apart from other Great Lakes. Future Needs –Better coordination between fisheries and environment scientists. –Coordinated monitoring (expanded to emerging chemicals) Toxicity studies to evaluate these exposures of wildlife to emerging chemicals as well as mixtures of chemicals –Human exposure data Toxicity studies to evaluate these exposures of humans to emerging chemicals as well as mixtures of chemicals –Raise public awareness about fish that are LOW in contaminants

Sources of Emerging Chemicals Stain Resistant + Fire retardant –Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) Plasticizers –Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APEs) Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs)