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Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

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and home wood heating; Johannessen and Ross 2002). In situ sediments alsorepresent potential sources <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> PAHs in areas that have received substantial inputs inthe past. As a class, PAHs are typically released to aquatic ecosystems viaresuspensi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>taminated sediments, direct effluent discharges from varioussources, run<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f from urban areas and c<strong>on</strong>taminated sites, and accidental spills.Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 209 individual chemicals that wereused in various applicati<strong>on</strong>s before being banned in Canada in 1977 and in the UnitedStates in 1979. PCBs were primarily used in transformers, capacitors, and heattransfer systems (60%), as plasticizers (25%), in hydraulic fluids (10%), and other uses(5%; EIP Associated 1997). In the past, the primary sources <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> PCBs in the <strong>Fraser</strong><strong>River</strong> Basin may have included electric power generati<strong>on</strong> facilities, pulp and papermills, scrap metal recycling facilities, paper recycling operati<strong>on</strong>s, automobile salvagefacilities, and various repair facilities. Current sources <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these c<strong>on</strong>taminants likelyinclude in situ sediments, run<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f from c<strong>on</strong>taminated sites, wastewater treatment plantdischarges, landfill leachates, and atmospheric depositi<strong>on</strong>.Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a group <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 209 individual chemicals (i.e.,c<strong>on</strong>geners) that have been used as fire retardants in a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sumer products.While PBDEs are not manufactured in Canada, they are imported in such products ascomputer housings, household appliances, polyurethane foams used in householdfurniture, mattresses, carpets, and car seats, a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> electrical and electr<strong>on</strong>iccomp<strong>on</strong>ents, paint, textiles, building materials, and plastics (Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Canada2004). About 90% <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the PBDEs produced worldwide is used in polyurethane foams.According to Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Canada (2006), PBDEs are released to the envir<strong>on</strong>ment viamunicipal or industrial wastewater discharges, landfill leachates, and municipalincinerati<strong>on</strong> facilities. Of these, municipal wastewater effluents appear to be <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> themore important sources <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> PCDEs (Johannessen et al. 2008). In additi<strong>on</strong>, PBDEs arereleased in associati<strong>on</strong> with in-service use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> products c<strong>on</strong>taining polyurethane foam.L<strong>on</strong>g-range atmospheric transport c<strong>on</strong>tributes to loadings <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> PBDEs to the Canadianenvir<strong>on</strong>ment in general and the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> Basin in particular (Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Canada2006; Noël et al. 2009).Bisphenol A and phthalate esters are industrial chemicals that are used in the plasticsmanufacturing industry. Bisphenol A is <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the chemicals used to producepolycarb<strong>on</strong>ate plastics, food can linings, electrical sheathings, polyvinyl chloride, andadhesives. The term, phthalates, describes a group <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> chemicals that are used asplasticizers (i.e., to make plastic s<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>t), as solvents in perfumes, hairsprays, and insect80

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