Lipid-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as concentrators of toxic chemicals in the lower Fraser River, Vancouver, British Columbia

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were deployed in the water column and in the sediments of the Lower Fraser River (B.C., Canada) to compare the levels and the congener profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and non-ortho-chlorinated biphenyls (N-o,o′-PCBs) against those sampled by an Infiltrex resin column water sampler. Also the relationship between what was present in the ecosystem as sampled by SPMDs and what was accumulated in the tissue of resident benthic-feeding fish was explored. Only the lipid portion of the SPMDs was prepared for analysis, due to some technical difficulties in cleaning the polyethene tubing. The calculated water concentrations as obtained from the SPMD experiments were similar to those obtained by using the Infiltrex sampler. The PCDD/F congener distribution pattern shows multiple source inputs from pulp mill, pentachlorophenol formulations, and combustion. The fish tissue data showed similar congener profiles to those obtained from the SPMDs.