Organic contaminants in isolated lakes of southern Labrador, Canada

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 625 - 632
• Main Authors: LOCKERBIE, D. M, CLAIR, T. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer-Verlag 01-10-1988
• Subjects: Animals; Applied sciences; Continental surface waters; DDT - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Female; Fishes - physiology; Gonads - metabolism; Insecticides - analysis; Liver - metabolism; Male; Muscles - metabolism; Natural water pollution; Newfoundland and Labrador; Pollution; Water Pollutants - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; Newfoundland and Labrador; Sediment water interaction; Atmospheric fallout; Methodology; Pesticides; Quebec; Check; North America; Polychlorobiphenyl; Canada; Vertebrata; Chlorocarbon; Pisces; Content; America; Water quality; Lakes; Water pollution; Biological accumulation
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02021010

Between 1980 and 1984 water, sediment and fish sampled at 4 sites in each of 5 remote lakes (Brule, Fonteneau, Donquan, St. Augustin, St. Paul) were analysed for organic contaminants. In water, only alpha-BHC was found in measurable quantities (all lakes except Donquan). Gamma-BHC (lindane) was detected in one water sample from Brule. PCB (up to 15 ppb), p,p-DDD (up to 3 ppb) and p,p-DDE (trace amounts) were present in sediments from Brule, Fonteneau and St. Paul. PCB, alpha-BHC, gamma-BHC, p,p-DDE, p,p-DDD and o,p-DDT were detected in muscle, liver and gonads of fish. Total DDT, BHC and PCB were significantly correlated with tissue lipid content (r2 equalled 0.71-0.83). The nearest recorded use of DDT was in a forest on the Gaspe peninsula (approximately 420 km southwest of the nearest study lake) during 1957-61. These findings demonstrated that long-range atmospheric transport of organic contaminants into northeastern Canada was occurring.