"Dynamics of Dioxins in an Aquatic Food Web of Tokyo Bay" 

Wataru Naitou¹, Kikuo Yoshida¹, Junko Nakanishi¹, Shigeki Masunaga²

¹National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
²Yokohama National University

SETAC 24th Annual Meeting in North America  (Austin of America 2003/11/13)

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Abstract

In this study, concentrations and accumulation profiles of PCDDs/DFs and coplanar-PCBs co-PCBs) in aquatic biota (e.g., plankton, shellfish, benthic invertebrate, and fish) and sediment from Tokyo Bay were examined to elucidate the relationship between bioaccumulation and trophic level in the food web as determined by the stable nitrogen isotope analysis.

The results showed that bioaccumulation patterns of PCDDs/DFs and co-PCBs varied greatly among congeners. Biota-sediment-accumulation-factors (BSAF) for co-PCBs in biota from Tokyo Bay were significantly greater than those of PCDDs/DFs. 

Furthermore, the slopes of the plots of 15N and BSAF values and water solubility of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDDs/DFs and co-PCBs were highly correlated. 

It would be possible to estimate concentrations of these compounds in aquatic biota using an equation that was formulated based on the concentrations of these compounds in the representative organisms and sediments.

Keywords

Dioxins, Tokyo Bay, Bioaccumulation, Foodweb, Stable Isotope