PCB Spatial Patterns in San Francisco Bay Forage Fish

Ben Greenfield and Rachel Allen recently published an article in Chemosphere titled “Polychlorinated biphenyl spatial patterns in San Francisco Bay forage fish.”

The study examined PCB concentrations in San Francisco Bay forage fish to determine if PCB contamination is affecting the local aquatic food web. The main conclusion of the study was that forage fish are useful indicators of site-specific PCB contamination. The concentrations observed in forage fish sampled near historically polluted locations, old industrial sites, were elevated compared to the sites representing ambient conditions. In fact, concentrations observed in the forage fish were comparable to those of high lipid sport fish collected in the Bay. The concentrations at the historic hotspots were above thresholds indicating potential hazards to fish and wildlife. Additionally, PCB concentrations in forage fish corresponded with sediment PCB concentrations, suggesting that nearshore sediments next to historically polluted locations are a reservoir for PCB contamination. The study concluded that forage fish tissue concentrations help reveal contaminant spatial patterns because of the fish species' small foraging ranges.