Prepared in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the 

Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October 2008 to November 2008: 

Phase II of the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan for 

New York-New Jersey Harbor

Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5204

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
Cover. Elizabeth River above West Branch at Hillside, New Jersey. (Photograph by Brian Painter, U.S. Geological Survey)
Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the 

Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, 

October 2008 to November 2008: Phase II of the 

New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan for 

New York–New Jersey Harbor

By Jennifer L. Bonin

Prepared in cooperation with the 

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5204

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010

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reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Bonin, J.L., 2010, Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October 

2008 to November 2008: Phase II of the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan for New York–New Jersey Harbor: 

U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5204, 27 p.
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2

Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................2

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................2

Sampling Sites.......................................................................................................................................7

Sampling and Analysis.........................................................................................................................7

Reporting of Analytical Results ..........................................................................................................9

Occurrence of Organic Compounds and Cadmium in Suspended Sediment....................................10

Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Dioxin-Furans...............................................................................10

Cadmium...............................................................................................................................................16

Tributary Loads.............................................................................................................................................18

Suspended-Sediment and Carbon Loads .......................................................................................18

Constituent Loads ...............................................................................................................................18

Summary and Conclusions.........................................................................................................................23

Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................26

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................26
iv

Figures

1–2. Maps showing —

1. Location of study area and surface-water sampling sites in New Jersey................3

2. Location of sampling sites on the West Branch and Main Stem of the 

Elizabeth River, Elizabeth, New Jersey ............................................................................4

3. Schematic diagram of a modified Trace Organic Platform Sampler ...................................8

4–5. Graphs showing—

4. Flow-duration curve and suspended-sediment loads at station 01393300, 

Elizabeth River above West Branch at Hillside, N.J. ...................................................21

5. Flow-duration curve and suspended-sediment loads at station 01393345, 

West Branch of the Elizabeth River above Sayre Rd at Union, N.J., .......................21

Tables

1. Description of sampling sites and characteristics of Elizabeth River sites in 

New Jersey, 2008..........................................................................................................................5

2. Field characteristics of samples collected from Elizabeth River sites in 

New Jersey, 2008..........................................................................................................................7

3. Concentrations of total organic compounds in samples of suspended sediment

from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008 .....................................................................11

4. Concentrations of cadmium in samples of water and suspended sediment from

Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008...............................................................................12

5. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl homologs in samples of suspended 

sediment from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008....................................................13

6. Ratio of the average concentration of polychlorinated biphenyl homologs in

high-flow samples to that in low-flow samples collected from Elizabeth River 

sites in New Jersey, 2008 ..........................................................................................................14

7. Concentrations and toxic equivalent quotients for selected polychlorinated

biphenyls in samples of suspended sediment from Elizabeth River sites in 

New Jersey, 2008........................................................................................................................15

8. Concentrations and toxic equivalent quotients for polychlorinated dibenzo-pdioxins and difuran congeners in samples of suspended sediment from 

Elizabeth River, New Jersey, 2008............................................................................................17

9. Rating curves for suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon in 

the West Branch and Main Stem of the Elizabeth River in New Jersey...........................19

10. Estimated loads of suspended sediment, particulate organic carbon, and organic

compounds in samples from the Elizabeth River, New Jersey, 2008 .................................20

11. Estimated loads of cadmium in samples from the Elizabeth River in 

New Jersey, 2008........................................................................................................................22

12. Constituent loads expressed as percentage of the average annual suspendedsediment load for the tributaries to, and the heads-of-tide of, the Elizabeth River, 

New Jersey, 2008........................................................................................................................22
v

Conversion factors, datums, and water-quality abbreviations

Multiply By To obtain

Length

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

Area

square meter (m2) 0.0002471 acre 

square kilometer (km2) 0.3861 square mile (mi2)

Volume

liter (L) 0.2642 gallon (gal)

cubic meter (m3) 264.2 gallon (gal) 

Flow rate

cubic meter per second (m3/s) 35.31 cubic foot per second (ft3/s)

liter per second (L/s) 15.85 gallon per minute (gal/min) 

Mass

gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

(NGVD 29)

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

Water-quality abbreviations:

EDL Estimated detection limit

GFF Glass fiber filter

PCB Polychlorinated biphenyl

PCDD Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins

PCDF Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-difurans

POC Particulate organic carbon

SS Suspended sediment

TOPS Trace organic platform sampler

TEQ Toxic equivalency 

μg microgram

ng nanogram

ng/g nanograms per gram

pg picogram

pg/g picograms per gram

mg/yr milligrams per year

Mgal/yr million gallons per year
vi
Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the 

Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October 2008 to November 

2008: Phase II of the New Jersey Toxics Reduction 

Workplan for New York–New Jersey Harbor

By Jennifer L. Bonin

Abstract

Samples of surface water and suspended sediment were 

collected from the two branches that make up the Elizabeth River in New Jersey—the West Branch and the Main 

Stem—from October to November 2008 to determine the 

concentrations of selected chlorinated organic and inorganic 

constituents. The sampling and analyses were conducted as 

part of Phase II of the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary Plan–Contaminant Assessment and Reduction Program 

(CARP), which is overseen by the New Jersey Department of 

Environmental Protection. Phase II of the New Jersey Workplan was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey to define 

upstream tributary and point sources of contaminants in those 

rivers sampled during Phase I work, with special emphasis on 

the Passaic and Elizabeth Rivers. This portion of the Phase 

II study was conducted on the two branches of the Elizabeth 

River, which were previously sampled during July and August 

of 2003 at low-flow conditions. Samples were collected during 

2008 from the West Branch and Main Stem of the Elizabeth 

River just upstream from their confluence at Hillside, N.J. 

Both tributaries were sampled once during low-flow 

discharge conditions and once during high-flow discharge 

conditions using the protocols and analytical methods that 

were used in the initial part of Phase II of the Workplan. Grab 

samples of streamwater also were collected at each site and 

were analyzed for cadmium, suspended sediment, and particulate organic carbon. The measured concentrations, along with 

available historical suspended-sediment and stream-discharge 

data were used to estimate average annual loads of suspended 

sediment and organic compounds in the two branches of the 

Elizabeth River. Total suspended-sediment loads for 1975 

to 2000 were estimated using rating curves developed from 

historical U.S. Geological Survey suspended-sediment and 

discharge data, where available. 

Concentrations of suspended-sediment-bound polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Main Stem and the West Branch 

of the Elizabeth River during low-flow conditions were 

534 ng/g (nanograms per gram) and 1,120 ng/g, respectively, 

representing loads of 27 g/yr (grams per year) and 416 g/yr, 

respectively. These loads were estimated using contaminant 

concentrations during low flow, and the assumed 25-year 

average discharge, and 25-year average suspended-sediment 

concentration. Concentrations of suspended-sediment-bound 

PCBs in the Main Stem and the West Branch of the Elizabeth River during high-flow conditions were 3,530 ng/g and 

623 ng/g, respectively, representing loads of 176 g/yr and 

231 g/yr, respectively. These loads were estimated using 

contaminant concentrations during high-flow conditions, 

the assumed 25-year average discharge, and 25-year average suspended-sediment concentration. Concentrations of 

suspended-sediment-bound polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins 

and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-difuran compounds (PCDD/

PCDFs) during low-flow conditions were 2,880 pg/g (picograms per gram) and 5,910 pg/g in the Main Stem and West 

Branch, respectively, representing average annual loads 

of 0.14 g/yr and 2.2 g/yr, respectively. Concentrations of 

suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/PCDFs during high-flow 

conditions were 40,900 pg/g and 12,400 pg/g in the Main 

Stem and West Branch, respectively, representing average 

annual loads of 2.05 g/yr and 4.6 g/yr, respectively. Total 

toxic equivalency (TEQ) loads (sum of PCDD/PCDF and 

PCB TEQs) were 3.1 mg/yr (milligrams per year) (as 2, 3, 7, 

8-TCDD) in the Main Stem and 28 mg/yr in the West Branch 

during low-flow conditions. Total TEQ loads (sum of PCDD/

PCDFs and PCBs) were 27 mg/yr (as 2, 3, 7, 8-TCDD) in the 

Main Stem and 32 mg/yr in the West Branch during high-flow 

conditions. All of these load estimates, however, are directly 

related to the assumed annual discharge for the two branches. 

Long-term measurement of stream discharge and suspendedsediment concentrations would be needed to verify these 
2 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

loads. On the basis of the loads calculated from the concentrations measured in this study, it appears that the West Branch 

is the principal source of PCBs, PCDD/PCDFs, and total TEQ 

to the Elizabeth River during low-flow and high-flow conditions. Additional sources of these constituents may be present 

between the confluence of the two branches that make up the 

Elizabeth River and the head-of-tide. 

Introduction

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), as part of its Toxics Reduction Workplan for 

the New York–New Jersey Harbor (NJTRWP, the New Jersey 

component of the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary 

Program Contaminant Assessment and Reduction Program 

(CARP)) conducted an extensive Phase I sampling program in 

cooperation with other agencies to determine the concentrations and loads in the tributaries, estuaries, and kills associated 

with Newark and Raritan Bays during 2000-04 (New Jersey 

Department of Environmental Protection, 2001; New York–

New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, 1996) (fig. 1). The role 

of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in that program was to 

determine concentrations and mass loads of organic compounds and trace elements that originate above the heads-oftide in the Passaic, Raritan, Rahway, Elizabeth, and Hackensack Rivers, the main tributaries to Newark and Raritan Bay 

(Bonin and Wilson, 2006; Wilson and Bonin, 2007). The headof-tide refers to the uppermost point of a river that is affected 

by tidal fluctuations. Other researchers concurrently measured 

concentrations of organic compounds in the lower estuarine/

tidal parts of these rivers. These studies demonstrated that the 

Passaic River accounted for the major loads to Newark Bay 

and that high concentrations of selected organic and inorganic 

compounds were present at the head-of-tide of the Elizabeth 

River (Wilson and Bonin, 2007). 

As a follow-up to Phase I, the NJDEP, in cooperation 

with other agencies, initiated a Phase II study. For Phase II, 

the USGS collected samples from tributaries to the Passaic 

River, the Saddle River, the Second and Third Rivers, and the 

Elizabeth River (the West Branch and Main Stem, upstream 

from their confluence (fig. 2)) during low-flow conditions with 

the goal of determining the concentrations of polychlorinated 

biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and 

polychlorinated dibenzo-p-difuran compunds (PCDD/PCDFs), 

and trace elements (mercury, cadmium, and lead) in water and 

suspended sediment from these tributaries. Those data were 

collected in part to identify the sources of these compounds, 

and these data, collected for the two branches of the Elizabeth 

River during high- and low-flow conditions, were used in this 

study to estimate loads of suspended sediment and organic 

and inorganic compounds delivered by these tributaries to the 

Elizabeth River. Comparisons of constituent concentrations 

and loads were made among the two sites on the tributaries 

and with the main stem of the Elizabeth River (after the two 

branches have converged), and compounds were identified that 

could serve as markers for sediment from each tributary. The 

various reports from previous studies done in this area for the 

CARP program can be found at: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/

dsr/njtrwp. 

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to present concentrations 

and estimates of loads of suspended sediment, particulate 

organic carbon, PCBs, PCDD/PCDFs, and cadmium in 

samples from the tributaries to the Elizabeth River during lowand high-flow discharge conditions. The data from the samples 

collected on the two branches that make up the Elizabeth 

River were evaluated to determine whether distinct chemical 

signatures could be identified for each tributary in an effort 

to help determine possible sources of contaminants to the 

Elizabeth River head-of-tide. Also presented are comparisons 

of these constituent data to data previously collected for the 

two tributaries that make up the Elizabeth River, and to the 

suspended-sediment chemistry data previously collected for 

the head-of-tide sampling site on the Elizabeth River. Samples 

were collected at the two tributaries to the Elizabeth River, 

once during low-flow conditions and once during elevated 

discharge/high-flow conditions from October 2008 to November 2008. Field characteristics and normalized concentrations 

of constituents are presented in tables. Flow-duration curves 

showing discharge and suspended-sediment load in relation to 

percent exceedance are presented in illustrations.

Description of Study Area

The study area consists of the Main Stem and West 

Branch of the Elizabeth River, which flows into the Arthur 

Kill (fig. 1; table 1). The Elizabeth River drains a small, 

highly urbanized basin of less than 100 mi2, and consequently 

has small discharges (less than 100 ft3/s). Flow in this river 

is affected by inputs from sewers and other outfalls, several 

small dams, and wetland areas, all of which affect the hydrologic response of this river.

Land use in this river basin, as determined from the 

NJDEP Geographic Information Systems Database for the part 

of the basin upstream from the sampling sites, provides useful 

insight into the characteristics of this river basin. The entire 

basin is classified as urban. The high degree of urbanization 

is reflected in the large number of waste-treatment plants and 

other facilities that are permitted to release effluent into the 

surface-water system in each basin (Bonin and Wilson, 2006).

Methods

Sampling and analytical methods used in this study are 

consistent with those used in the Phase I work of the NJDEP 
Methods 3

Figure 2

41

40

30'

74 30' 74 15' 74 73 45'

40

45'

0 5 10 MILES

0 5 10 15 KILOMETERS

74

40

41

39

75

Area of detail

0 10 20 MILES

0 10 20 KILOMETERS

NEW

JERSEY

NEW

YORK

BERGEN

ESSEX

PASSAIC

MORRIS

ROCKLAND

WESTCHESTER

BRONX

BROOKLYN

QUEENS

MANHATTAN

NEW YORK BIGHT

ATLANTIC OCEAN

MONMOUTH

MIDDLESEX

STATEN

ISLAND

Upper

New

York N

Bay ewark Bay

Whippany River

Passaic River Passaic River

Hackensack River

Hudson River

East River

Lower New York Bay

Raritan Bay

Sandy

Hook Bay

Jamaica Bay

Long Island Sound

Navesink River

Shrewsbury River

Sandy Hook—Rockaway Point Transect

Kill Van Kull

Raritan River

Arthur Kill

Rahway River

UNION

NEW JERSEY HUDSON

Hudson River

Passaic River

Piedmont

Marsh

Tappan Zee

Bridge

NEW YORK

Throgs

Neck

Bridge

Base map from New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Final Comprehensive

Conservation and Management Plan, March 1996

LOCATION OF AREA SHOWN IN FIGURE 2

STUDY AREA

WATER BODY

STATE BOUNDARY

COUNTY BOUNDARY

LOCATION OF SURFACE-WATER SAMPLING SITE

EXPLANATION

Elizabeth River Pompton River

Second River

Figure 1. Location of study area and surface-water sampling sites in New Jersey.
4 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

Elizabeth

River

Elizabeth

01393400

Head-of-tide

01393450 Main Stem

Elizabeth River at Ursino Lake

West Branch

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River above

confluence

West Branch Elizabeth River

0 0.5 1 MILE

0 0.5 1 KILOMETER

74°15' 74°14' 74°13' 74°12'

40°41'

40°42'

EXPLANATION

Tributary sampling site

U.S. Geological Survey streamgage

 station and number 01393400

Figure 2. Location of sampling sites on the West Branch and Main Stem of the Elizabeth River, Elizabeth, New 

Jersey. (See figure 1 for location of this figure.)

Workplan. Detailed descriptions of the sampling and analytical methods used in Phase I can be found in Bonin and Wilson (2006) and Wilson and Bonin (2007). Phase I sampling 

was performed during high-flow and low-flow conditions at 

the head-of-tide in each tributary.

In the initial part of the Phase II work, the tributaries 

were sampled during low-flow conditions using the largevolume sampling methods developed for Phase I. In this 

study, both tributaries of the Elizabeth River were sampled 

once during low-flow and once during high-flow conditions, using large-volume sampling methods. Large-volume 

(>50 L) samples were collected over 4 to 6 hours at selected 

sites where tributaries converge to form the main branches 

of the Elizabeth River (fig. 2). These samples are considered to be representative of the streams during low-flow and 

high-flow conditions as they were collected during times 

of steady low discharge or throughout the rising limb and 

halfway through the falling limb of the hydrograph during 

a high-flow event. Sampling was conducted under similar 

conditions in the Phase I work, although flow-weighted composite samples also were collected during high-flow events 

in Phase I. In contrast, sampling during high-flow events on 

the two tributaries to the Elizabeth River was done for the 

length of the time the river level was rising and remained 

elevated, which due to the nature of these flashy, urban rivers 

resulted in high-flow-event samples being collected over a 2- 

to 4-hour period.

Filtration was used to collect suspended sediment for 

analysis of organic compounds. This study focused on the 

constituents of interest in the particulate phase for two reasons. Firstly, the dissolved concentrations were deemed to be 

adequately characterized in previous studies. Secondly, most 

of the organic compounds are bound to, and transported by, 

suspended sediment (Wilson and Bonin, 2007). The samples 

were analyzed using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(USEPA) Method 1668A for PCBs (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1999) and Method 1613B for PCDD/PCDFs 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1994). Grab samples 

of river water also were collected and analyzed for concentrations of dissolved and whole water cadmium (Cd), along with 

suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon (POC). 

Cadmium was measured using inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICP-MS) (Garbarino and Struzeski, 

1998; Garbarino and others, 2006). Details of the analytical 

program used in this study can be found in the Phase I reports 

by Bonin and Wilson (2006) and Wilson and Bonin (2007), 

and in NJDEP documentation (New Jersey Department of 

Environmental Protection, 2001).
Methods 

5

Table 1. Description of sampling sites and characteristics of Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008.—Continued[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; Mgal, million gallons; n/a, not applicable]

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Phase II base flow

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

Phase II base flow

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

Date sampled 17/31/03 10/22/08 10/25/08 18/7/03 11/7/08 11/13/08Survey number 2003-IICA 2008-IIICA 2008-IIICB 2003-IICA 2008-IIICA 2008-IIICBSample identification 2USG1003SA 3USG001SA 3USG002SA 2USG1006SA 3USG003SA 3USG004SACondition/type Low Flow Low Flow High Flow Low Flow Low Flow High FlowLatitude of site 40° 41’ 44” 40° 41’ 44” 40° 41’ 44” 40° 41’ 34” 40° 41’ 34” 40° 41’ 34”Longitude of site 74° 14’ 32” 74° 14’ 32” 74° 14’ 32” 74° 15’ 05” 74° 15’ 05” 74° 15’ 05”USGS station name

Elizabeth River 

above West Branch 

at Hillside, NJ

Elizabeth River 

above West Branch 

at Hillside, NJ

Elizabeth River 

above West Branch 

at Hillside, NJ

West Branch 

Elizabeth River 

above Sayre Rd 

at Union, NJ

West Branch 

Elizabeth River 

above Sayre Rd 

at Union, NJ

West Branch 

Elizabeth River 

above Sayre Rd 

at Union, NJ

USGS station number 01393300 01393300 01393300 01393345 01393345 01393345USGS streamgage 

station name

Elizabeth River at 

Ursino Lake

Elizabeth River at 

Ursino Lake

Elizabeth River at 

Ursino Lake

Elizabeth River at 

Ursino Lake

Elizabeth River at 

Ursino Lake

Elizabeth River at 

Ursino Lake

USGS streamgage station number 01393450 01393450 01393450 01393450 01393450 01393450Location of sampling site in 

relation to existing station Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream

Location of sampling site in relation 

to USGS head-of-tide sampling station2

Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream
6 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008 Table 1. Description of sampling sites and characteristics of Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008.—Continued [USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; Mgal, million gallons; n/a, not applicable] Main Stem West Branch Main Stem Main Stem West Branch West Branch Elizabeth River Elizabeth River Elizabeth River Elizabeth River Elizabeth River Elizabeth River Phase II base flow Phase II base flow Time sampling initiated 1300 940 1900 1315 1205 1400 Time sampling ended 1715 1440 2100 1715 1730 1745 Mean daily discharge at USGS streamgage station (on day of 9.3 6.3 38 24 9.7 46 sampling), in ft3/s Mean discharge at USGS streamgage station (at time of sampling), in 39.3 36.39 313.03 320 38.91 3188.11 ft3/s Estimated percentage of the mean annual discharge of the Elizabeth 12 12 12 88 88 88 River4 Estimated discharge, in ft3/s 512 60.77 61.56 517.6 67.84 6165.54 Total volume of discharge during 51.127 0.86 0.09 52.276 1.11 15.07 sampling, in Mgal Peak instanteous discharge at USGS streamgage station on day of sam- n/a n/a 329 n/a n/a 216 pling, in ft3/s, storm samples only

1These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.2The USGS head-of-tide sampling station is the sampling station used in the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase I.3This value is the discharge at the Elizabeth River at Ursino Lake station during the time of sampling. It represents the sum of the discharges in the East and West Branches and the main stem of 

the Elizabeth River.

4Estimated percentages based on work done by Wilson and Bonin, 2008, in first part of Phase II study.5Discharge estimated in field at time of sampling.6Discharge estimated based on value at Elizabeth River at Ursino Lake, weighted by tributary’s contribution (Wilson and Bonin, 2007).
Methods 7

Sampling Sites

Descriptions of the Elizabeth River sampling sites are 

presented in table 1, and specific sampling sites are shown in 

figure 2 along with the associated USGS streamgage stations 

referred to in this report. The West Branch and the Main Stem 

of the Elizabeth River were sampled 1,460 ft and 3,000 ft, 

upstream from their confluence at Hillside, N.J. (fig. 2). The 

confluence is approximately 1,200 ft upstream from the Phase I 

head-of-tide sampling site on the Elizabeth River at Hillside, 

which, in turn, is approximately 1.5 river miles upstream from 

the USGS streamgage station at Ursino Lake, N.J. The East 

Branch of the Elizabeth River is encased in a storm drain and 

could not be sampled (Wilson and Bonin, 2008).

Sampling and Analysis

Sampling was conducted on both branches of the Elizabeth River with a Trace Organic Platform Sampler (TOPS) 

equipped with a 50-ft length of pre-cleaned 3/8-inch-diameter 

Teflon tubing that was run into the center of flow of each 

stream. The tubing was held by a cement block that kept 

the intake approximately 6 inches above the streambed and 

approximately 3 ft out from the weight. One dedicated TOPS 

sampler was used for all of the sampling and was cleaned 

between uses by pumping hot, soapy water through the sampler, followed by a rinse with deionized (DI) water, methanol, 

and a final DI water rinse. The tubing was cleaned between 

sites by washing with hot soapy water for a minimum of 

1 hour, followed by two rinses with DI water, a 1-hour soak 

in a 10-percent solution of hydrochloric acid, and a final rinse 

with DI water.

The TOPS contained a 0.5-micron (nominal) glass-fiber 

canister filter and a 1-micron, pre-baked glass-fiber flat filter 

(fig. 3). These filters were identical to those used in the Phase I 

and II sampling. In the TOPS, water is pumped through the 

canister filter at a rate of 1 to 2 L/min. The filtered water 

stream is split with one line going to waste and the second 

passing through a 1-micron flat filter at a rate not exceeding 

200 mL/min. A schematic diagram of the TOPS, as configured 

for this study, is shown in figure 3. A target volume of 300 to 

500 L per sample was processed through the filters which 

resulted in the capture of at least 0.5 g of sediment on the canister filter (if it is assumed that the streamwater contained 1 to 

2 mg/L of suspended sediment). The one canister filter and 

several flat filters that were used at each site were combined 

in the laboratory for extraction and analysis. Water that was 

processed through the filters was collected, and the volume 

was measured using a Class A glass, graduated cylinder. The 

volumes of water processed for each sample and the suspended sediment and carbon content of the processed water 

are listed in table 2.

Samples for analysis of Cd were collected directly from a 

tee in the inlet line located immediately in front of the TOPS. 

Samples were collected by attaching a piece of pre-cleaned 

silicon pump tubing to the tee and placing the tubing through 

the rotary head of a small peristaltic pump. This line removed 

Table 2. Field characteristics of samples collected from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008.

[SS, suspended sediment; mg/L, milligrams per liter; POC, particulate organic carbon, mgC/L, milligrams of carbon per liter]

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

Date sampled 10/22/08 10/25/08 11/7/08 11/13/08

Condition/type Low Flow High Flow Low Flow High Flow

Survey number 2008-IIICA 2008-IIICB 2008-IIICA 2008-IIICB

Total volume of water through 

filters sent for analysis, 

in liters (measured)

1,086 257.93 1,086 695.04

Mean SS concentration1, 

in mg/L (measured) 2.38 2

6.00 2.45 11.91

Corrected mass of SS, 

in grams (calculated) 2.32 6.04 2.39 7.45

Mean POC concentration1, 

in mgC/L (measured) 0.543 2

1.846 0.695 2.452

Corrected mass of carbon, 

in grams (calculated) 0.530 5.071 0.680 1.534

1

Mean concentrations of suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon concentrations are geometric means of the grab sample concentrations.

2

These concentrations are based on only one sample as a result of instrument failure.
8 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

Peristaltic pump 

Electrical

control

15-Liter reservoir

with float switch

Solenoid valve

208-Liter

collection

drum

25-Liter

collection

carboy

Solenoid valve

1-Liter 

reservoir

with float 

switch

Positive

displacement pump 

0.5 micron x 4 inch

GFF (glass fiber)

canister filter

Electrical

control

Water inlet

from river

1 micron x 

142 millimeter

diameter

GFF flat filter

Electrical connection

Direction of water flow

EXPLANATION

Figure 3. Schematic diagram of a modified Trace Organic Platform Sampler (TOPS). (From Bonin and Wilson, 2006)
Methods 9

water from the inlet to the TOPS. The line then was pumped 

for at least 5 minutes before a sample was collected. Filtered 

samples were collected by attaching a 0.45-micron polyether 

sulfone capsule filter (Gelman) to the pump tubing and filling sample bottles directly from the filter outlet. Unfiltered 

samples were collected by removing the filter and filling the 

sample bottle directly from the tubing outlet. All tubing, bottles, and filters were pre-cleaned using USGS metal sampling 

preparation protocol (Wilde, 2004).

Samples were stored on ice during transport to the 

USGS New Jersey Water Science Center (NJWSC) laboratory in West Trenton, N.J., where the filters were stored frozen 

until being sent for analysis. Concentrations of PCBs and 

dioxin/furans in the particulate phase were determined by 

Test America Laboratories, Knoxville, Tenn., using Phase I 

analytical methods (New Jersey Department of Environmental 

Protection, 2001; Bonin and Wilson, 2006). Concentrations of 

the individual PCB congeners were measured using USEPA 

Method 1668A–modified (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 1999), and dioxins and difurans were measured following USEPA Method 1613B (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1994). Both of these methods are isotope dilution 

methods that use high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify 

and quantify the individual congeners. Concentrations of 

total Cd were measured by the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory, Denver, Colorado, using inductively coupled 

plasma-optical emission spectrometry and inductively coupled 

plasma-mass spectrometry (Garbarino and Struzeski, 1998). 

Concentrations of dissolved Cd were measured by the USGS 

National Water Quality Laboratory using collision/reaction 

cell inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (Garbarino 

and others, 2006).

In addition to the samples collected for organic and 

inorganic analysis, four pairs of grab samples were collected 

at each site for analysis of suspended sediment and POC. 

These samples were collected directly from the sampling 

line at approximately equally spaced intervals throughout the 

TOPS sampling. The concentration of suspended sediment 

in these samples was measured at the USGS Kentucky Water 

Science Center Suspended Sediment Laboratory in Louisville, 

Kentucky (Sholar and Shreve, 1998). Particulate organic 

carbon was separated by filtering 60 mL of river water through 

25-millimeter-diameter 1-micron pore-size glass fiber filters. 

Filtering was performed upon return from the field in the 

USGS NJWSC laboratory. The filter was frozen and sent for 

analysis of POC at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory. POC was analyzed using USEPA Method 440.0 (Zimmerman and others, 1997).

The mass of suspended sediment and carbon trapped on 

the TOPS filter was calculated by multiplying the volume of 

water filtered by the mean concentrations of suspended sediment (or POC) in the four grab samples (Bonin and Wilson, 

2006). Early trials in the Phase I sampling demonstrated that 

the canister filters allowed approximately 10 percent (by 

weight) of particles to pass through the filters (consistent with 

the manufacturer’s specifications). Therefore, it was assumed 

that 10 percent of the calculated mass of suspended sediment 

broke through the canister filter and went either to waste or to 

the flat filters. Because most of the water that passed through 

the filter was ultimately sent to the waste line, no further 

numerical adjustment could be made to the calculated trapped 

mass of sediment. Therefore, to calculate the mass of suspended sediment (and carbon) trapped on the filters sent for 

analysis, the geometric mean of the suspended-sediment (and 

POC) concentrations in the grab samples that were collected, 

multiplied by the volume of water filtered, was multiplied by 

a filter capture efficiency factor of 0.9 (Wilson and Bonin, 

2007). This is the same correction that was applied to the calculations executed during Phase I and II of the program. Then, 

the normalized concentrations of sediment-bound chemicals 

were calculated by dividing the mass of each individual 

(or total) chemical species recovered from the filter by the 

adjusted mass of the captured sediment. The volume of water 

processed through the filters, the concentrations of suspended 

sediment and carbon, and the calculated masses of suspended 

sediment that were recovered on the filters are presented in 

table 2.

CARP and USGS identifiers were assigned to each 

sample collected using the same convention used for the 

Phase I and initial round of the Phase II sampling, except that 

the first digit of the sample was changed to “3” (for example, 

3USGXXXSA) (table 1). The raw and normalized analytical results for PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs, as reported by the 

laboratory in units of nanograms or picograms per sample, are 

available from the NJDEP.

Reporting of Analytical Results

The raw data for suspended-sediment-bound PCBs were 

blank-corrected in the same manner used in the NJTRWP 

Phase I sampling program. The samples collected from the 

Elizabeth River (West Branch and Main Stem) were analyzed 

for suspended-sediment-bound PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs. 

Some PCB and PCDD/PCDF congeners were reported as “not 

detected” in the raw data set and were dealt with by substituting one-half the value of the sample-specific detection limit 

for each individual congener as reported by the contract laboratory. Non-detected congeners were dealt with in this same 

manner in Phase I and the initial part of Phase II. Blank elimination consisted of removing reported masses of individual 

congeners that were less than or equal to 3 times the largest 

of the corresponding masses in the associated method blanks 

for PCBs and less than or equal to 5 times the largest of the 

corresponding masses in the method blanks for dioxins/furans 

(Wilson and Bonin, 2007). Field and equipment blanks for 

PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs were not collected in this study due 

to budget constraints. However, field and equipment blanks 

collected in both Phase I and the initial part of Phase II did not 

show any significant contamination that would affect the data 

reporting. Raw trace-element data were reported by the analytical laboratory, corrected for method blanks by subtraction. 
10 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

Occurrence of Organic Compounds and 

Cadmium in Suspended Sediment

Summaries of the PCB, PCDD/PCDF, and cadmium 

concentrations in samples are presented in tables 3 and 4. The 

concentrations of the PCBs on a homolog basis are presented 

in tables 5 and 6, and the concentrations and TEQs of the 

coplanar PCBs are listed in table 7. Concentrations and TEQs 

of the dioxin and furan congeners are listed in table 8.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Dioxin-Furans

Concentrations of total suspended-sediment-bound PCBs 

in samples collected during low-flow conditions were 534 ng/g 

(2,340 ng/g carbon) in the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River 

and 1,120 ng/g (3,950 ng/g carbon) in the West Branch of 

the Elizabeth River. During high-flow conditions, concentrations of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs were 3,530 ng/g 

(11,400 ng/g carbon) in the Main Stem and 623 ng/g 

(3,030 ng/g carbon) in the West Branch (table 3). In a sample 

from the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River, the suspendedsediment-bound PCB concentration during the high-flow event 

was more than 6 times higher than the low-flow particulate 

PCB concentration. In contrast, the suspended-sedimentbound PCB concentration during the high-flow event in the 

West Branch of the Elizabeth River was roughly half of the 

particulate PCB concentration in the sample collected during 

low flow. The concentration of suspended-sediment-bound 

PCB was roughly 2 times higher in the sample from the West 

Branch of the Elizabeth River than in the sample from the 

Main Stem during low-flow conditions but 5.6 times lower in 

the West Branch of the Elizabeth River than in the Main Stem 

during high-flow conditions (table 3). 

The concentration of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs 

in the sample from the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River 

collected during low-flow conditions was roughly 66 percent of the suspended sediment-bound concentration in the 

sample from the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River, which was 

measured previously and occurred during low-flow conditions 

on July 31, 2003. The average concentration of suspendedsediment-bound PCBs calculated using values from the two 

samples collected on the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River 

during this study was roughly 45 times higher than the average 

of all samples previously collected at the head-of-tide site, 

Elizabeth River at Hillside. The concentration of suspendedsediment-bound PCBs in the West Branch of the Elizabeth 

River during low-flow conditions was roughly 36 percent of 

the suspended-sediment-bound PCB concentration in the West 

Branch of the Elizabeth River, which was previously measured 

and also occurred during low-flow conditions on August 7, 

2003. The average suspended-sediment-bound PCB concentration calculated for the two samples collected on the West 

Branch of the Elizabeth River during this study was roughly 

19 times higher than the average of all samples collected 

previously at the head-of-tide site, Elizabeth River at Hillside 

(table 3). 

Concentrations of total suspended-sediment-bound 

PCDD/PCDFs during low-flow conditions were 2,880 pg/g 

for the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River and 5,910 pg/g for 

the West Branch of the Elizabeth River. During high-flow 

conditions, concentrations of suspended-sediment-bound 

PCDD/PCDFs were 40,900 pg/g for the Main Stem and 

12,400 pg/g for the West Branch. For the Main Stem of the 

Elizabeth River, the suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/PCDF 

concentration during the high-flow event was more than 

14 times higher than the low-flow particulate PCDD/PCDF 

concentration. The suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/PCDF 

concentration during the high-flow event in the West Branch 

of the Elizabeth River was more than 2 times greater than the 

low-flow particulate PCDD/PCDF concentration (table 3). The 

suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/PCDF concentration was 

roughly 2 times higher for the West Branch of the Elizabeth 

River than for the Main Stem during low-flow conditions but 

3.3 times lower for the West Branch of the Elizabeth River 

than for the Main Stem during high-flow conditions (table 3).

The suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/PCDF concentration for the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River during low-flow 

conditions was roughly 39 percent of the suspended-sedimentbound concentration for the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River, 

which was measured previously and occurred during low-flow 

conditions on July 31, 2003. The average suspended-sedimentbound PCDD/PCDF concentration calculated for the two 

samples collected from the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River 

during this study was about 75 percent of the average of all 

samples collected previously at the head-of-tide site, Elizabeth 

River at Hillside. The suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/

PCDF concentration in the sample from the West Branch of 

the Elizabeth River during low-flow conditions was about 

60 percent of the suspended sediment-bound concentration 

in the sample from the West Branch of the Elizabeth River, 

which was measured previously and occurred during lowflow conditions on August 7, 2003. The average suspendedsediment-bound PCDD/PCDF concentration calculated from 

the two samples collected on the West Branch of the Elizabeth 

River during this study was about 32 percent of the average 

of all samples collected previously at the head-of-tide site, 

Elizabeth River at Hillside (table 3). 

As in the samples collected at the head-of-tide site for the 

NJTWRP Phase I study, and the samples collected from the 

Elizabeth River tributary for the first part of the Phase II study, 

the suite of dioxin and furan congeners was dominated (by 

weight) by the PCDDs. The concentration of 2,3,7,8-TCDD 

was less than the estimated detection limit (EDL) in each 

of these samples, except for the high-flow sample collected 

from the West Branch of the Elizabeth River. However, two 

other congeners (1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD and 2,3,7,8-TCDF) have 

high toxic equivalence factors (TEF) and, as a result, are of 

particular interest. 1,2,3,7,8-PeCdd was present in high-flow 

and low-flow samples from both the Main Stem and West 

Branch of the Elizabeth River. 2,3,7,8-TCDF was present in 
Occurrence of Organic Compounds and Cadmium in Suspended Sediment 11

Table 3. Concentrations of total organic compounds in samples of suspended sediment from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008.[PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls; ng/g nanograms per gram; ng/gC, nanograms per gram of carbon; PCDD/PCDFs, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and difurans; TCDD, tetracholorinated dibenzo-pdioxin; pg/g, picograms per gram; TEQ, toxic equivalency; <, less than; na, not applicable]

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

(Phase II base 

flow)

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River 

(Average)

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

(Phase II base 

flow)

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

West Branch 

Elizabeth River

(Average)

Elizabeth River 

at Hillside1

(Average of all 

samples)

Date 27/31/2003 10/22/08 10/25/2008 10/22/08; 10/25/08 18/7/03 11/7/08 11/13/08 11/7/08; 11/13/08 naHydrologic event type Low Flow Low Flow High Flow Average Low Flow Low Flow High Flow Average AverageSample identifier EBEL073103 3USG001SA 3USG002SA na WBEL080703 3USG003SA 3USG004SA na naLiters of river water passed 

through filters 634.5 1,086 257.93 na 289.7 1,086 695.04 na na

Mass of suspended sediment 

collected (grams) 1.03 2.32 1.39 na 1.10 2.39 7.45 na na

Total sediment-bound 

PCBs (ng/g) 806 534 3,530 2,030 3,110 1,120 623 871 44.9

Total sediment-bound 

PCBs (ng/gC) 4,610 2,340 11,400 6,870 8,970 3,950 3,030 3,490 1,100

Total sediment-bound 

PCDD/PCDFs (pg/g) 7,270 2,880 40,900 21,900 9,880 5,910 12,400 9,160 28,900

Total sediment-bound 

PCDD (pg/g) 6,680 2,630 38,000 20,300 8,860 5,290 11,400 8,340 26,400

Total sediment-bound 

PCDF (pg/g) 590 253 2,860 1,550 1,020 622 1,020 821 2,500

Sediment-bound 

2,3,7,8-TCDD (pg/g) <8.0 4.3 7.2 6 <10 4.2 4.6 4.4 7.3

TEQ from PCDD/PCDFs 

(pg/g) 22 52 156 104 20 37 50 43 135

TEQ from PCBs (pg/g) 19 9.7 383 196 71 38 35 37 naTotal TEQ as 2,3,7,8-TCDD 

(pg/g) 41 62 539 301 91 75 85 80 na

1This average represents the average of two base flow and two storm events collected at the Elizabeth River head-of-tide station for the Phase I study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2007.2These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.
12 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008 Table 4. Concentrations of cadmium in samples of water and suspended sediment from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008. [mg/L, milligrams per liter; Cd, cadmium; ng/L, nanograms per liter; ng/g nanograms per gram; <, less than; na, not applicable] Main Stem Elizabeth River Main Stem Elizabeth River Main Stem Elizabeth River Main Stem Elizabeth River West Branch Elizabeth River West Branch Elizabeth River West Branch Elizabeth River West Branch Elizabeth River Elizabeth River at Hillside1 Sample identifier 2USG1003SA 3USG001SA 3USG002SA Average 2USG1006SA 3USG003SA 3USG004SA Average na Condition/type Low Flow Low Flow High Flow Average Low Flow Low Flow High Flow Average na Date sampled 27/31/03 10/22/08 10/25/08 10/22/2008; 10/25/2008 28/7/03 11/7/08 11/13/08 na na Suspended sediment (mg/L) 1.8 2.38 6.00 4.19 4.22 2.45 11.91 7.18 na Particulate organic carbon (mg/L) 0.33 0.543 1.846 1.19 1.440 0.695 2.452 1.574 na Total Cd (ng/L) 133 100 na na 41 <60 353 <57 190 Dissolved Cd (ng/L) 107 78 na na 27 313 38 26 118 Suspended sediment Cd (ng/L) 26 22 na na 14 <47 15 <31 72 Suspended sediment Cd (ng/g) 14,400 9,380 na na 3,310 <19,200 1,260 <10,230 12,500

1This average represents the average of samples collected during two base-flow and two storm events at the Elizabeth River head-of-tide site for the Phase I study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2007.2These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.3Estimated value as result was below the reporting level.
Occurrence of Organic Compounds and Cadmium in Suspended Sediment 13

Table 5. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl homologs in samples of suspended sediment from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008.[ng/g, nanograms per gram]

Main Stem Elizabeth River West Branch Elizabeth River Elizabeth River @ Hillside1

Sample identifier EBEL0731032 3USG001SA 3USG002SA WBEL0807032 3USG003SA 3USG004SA Overall averageCondition/type

Low flow Low flow High flow Low flow Low flow High flow

in suspended 

sediment

in suspended 

sediment

in suspended 

sediment

in suspended 

sediment

in suspended 

sediment

in suspended 

sediment

in suspended 

sediment

Homolog group ng/g Percent ng/g Percent ng/g Percent ng/g Percent ng/g Percent ng/g Percent ng/g PercentMono + di 5.8 0.72 1.5 0.28 27 0.77 5.8 0.19 4.9 0.44 10 1.6 35 1.4Tri 36 4.5 4.0 0.75 101 2.9 55 1.8 9.4 0.84 17 2.7 170 6.9Tetra 83 10 14 2.6 253 7.2 380 12 115 10 74 12 300 12.4Penta 200 25 56 10.5 558 16 860 28 128 11 87 14 420 16.5Hexa 252 31 250 46.7 1,310 37 1,090 35 495 44 263 42 770 30.7Hepta 175 22 171 32.0 1,030 29 570 18 307 27 139 22 600 24.3Octa 47 5.8 35 6.5 230 6.5 120 3.87 60 5.3 28 4.5 150 6.2Nona 6.0 0.74 2.7 0.50 17 0.49 8.4 0.27 3.6 0.32 3.4 0.55 25 1.0Deca 2.0 0.25 0.70 0.13 5.2 0.15 1.60 0.05 0.70 0.06 1.3 0.21 11 0.44Total PCBs 806 100 535 100 3,530 100 3,100 100 1,120 100 623 100 2,480 100

1This average represents the average of samples collected during two base flow and two storm events at the Elizabeth River head-of-tide site for the Phase I study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2007.2These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.
14 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

only the high-flow samples from both branches. Concentrations of 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD were 22 pg/g and 23 pg/g for the 

Main Stem of the Elizabeth River during low-flow and highflow conditions, respectively, and concentrations were 6.9 and 

9.5 pg/g for the West Branch of the Elizabeth River during 

low-flow and high-flow conditions, respectively. Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDF were 28 pg/g in the high-flow sample 

from the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River and 5.7 pg/g in the 

high-flow sample from the West Branch of the Elizabeth River 

(table 8). The EDLs for 2,3,7,8-TCDD were 8.6 pg/g and 

14 pg/g in samples from the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River 

during low-flow and during high-flow conditions, respectively, 

and 8.4 pg/g and 2.7 pg/g in samples from the West Branch of 

the Elizabeth River during low-flow and high-flow conditions, 

respectively. 

TEQs from PCDD/PCDFs were calculated using the 

TEFs from VanLeeuwen (1997) and expressed in picograms 

per gram as 2,3,7,8-TCDD. Although a more current list of 

TEFs was made available in 2006 by the World Health Organization, the older list was used for the purposes of comparisons 

to earlier data. The TEQs from PCDD/PCDFs were 52 pg/g 

and 156 pg/g for samples from the Main Stem of the Elizabeth 

River during low-flow and high-flow conditions, respectively, 

and 37 pg/g and 50 pg/g for samples from the West Branch 

of the Elizabeth River during low-flow and during high-flow 

conditions, respectively. The TEQs from PCDD/PCDFs during low-flow conditions calculated in a previous study were 

22 pg/g for the Main Stem and 20 pg/g for the West Branch 

of the Elizabeth River (Wilson and Bonin, 2008). The average 

TEQ from PCDD/PCDFs for the sample from the head-of-tide 

site on the Elizabeth River at Hillside was 135 pg/g (table 3).

As in earlier studies, the coplanar PCBs contribute significantly to the total TEQs for both branches of the Elizabeth 

River. This is especially true for the high-flow sample collected on the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River. TEQs for 

the coplanar PCBs in the samples (table 3) were 9.7 pg/g and 

383 pg/g for the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River during 

low-flow and high-flow conditions, respectively, and 38 pg/g 

and 35 pg/g for the West Branch of the Elizabeth River during 

low-flow and high-flow conditions, respectively. The TEQs 

from PCDD/PCDFs measured previously in the summer of 

2008 at these sites during low-flow conditions were 19 pg/g 

for the Main Stem and 71 pg/g for the West Branch of the 

Elizabeth River (Wilson and Bonin, 2008). Summing the 

TEQs from the PCDD/PCDFs and PCBs results in total toxic 

equivalencies of 62 pg/g during low-flow conditions and 

539 pg/g during high-flow conditions in the Main Stem of the 

Elizabeth River and 75 pg/g during low-flow conditions and 

85 pg/g during high-flow conditions in the West Branch of the 

Elizabeth River (table 3). This finding shows that TEQs in the 

Main Stem of the Elizabeth River during high-flow conditions 

were more than 8 times greater than during low-flow conditions and at least 6 times greater than the TEQs in the West 

Branch of the Elizabeth River during any flow condition.

Table 6. Ratio of the average concentration of polychlorinated biphenyl homologs in high-flow samples to that in low-flow samples 

collected from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008.

[Values for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) homolog groups and total PCBs are unitless ratios of weight percent in the high-flow sample to weight percent in 

the low-flow sample.]

Homolog group

Elizabeth River at Hillside1 Main Stem Elizabeth River West Branch Elizabeth River

Ratio of average high flow to low 

flow in suspended sediment

(percent)

Ratio of average high flow to low 

flow in suspended sediment

(percent)

Ratio of average high flow to low 

flow in suspended sediment

(percent)

Mono + di 0.7 2.7 3.7

Tri 0.6 3.8 3.3

Tetra 0.7 2.7 1.2

Penta 1.3 1.5 1.2

Hexa 1.2 0.79 0.96

Hepta 1.0 0.91 0.82

Octa 1.0 1.0 0.84

Nona 1.2 0.99 1.7

Deca 1.7 1.1 3.4

Total PCBs 0.8 6.60 0.55

1

Ratio of average for Elizabeth River samples on May 22, 2001, and June 4, 2003, to Elizabeth River samples on June 29, 2000, and Apr. 25, 2001. See 

Wilson and Bonin, 2007.
Occurrence of Organic Compounds and Cadmium in Suspended Sediment 15

Table 7. Concentrations and toxic equivalent quotients for selected polychlorinated biphenyls in samples of suspended sediment from Elizabeth River sites in New Jersey, 2008.[TEF, toxic equivalence factor; CON, concentration; TEQ, toxic equivalency; NA, not available, PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls; TCDD, tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin; all values in picograms per gram]

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

West Branch

Elizabeth River

West Branch

Elizabeth River

West Branch

Elizabeth River

Elizabeth River

Head-of-tide

Sample identifier EBEL0731031 3USG001SA 3USG002SA WBEL0807031 3USG003SA 3USG004SA Phase I average2 Condition/type Low flow Low flow High flow Low flow Low flow High flow

PCB number TEF CON TEQ3 CON TEQ3 CON TEQ3 CON TEQ3 CON TEQ3 CON TEQ3 CON TEQ3

11 NA 1,120 NA 224 NA 1,420 NA 1,250 NA 3,590 NA 6,460 NA 2,800 NA

77 0.0001 1,080 0.11 179 0.02 3,290 0.33 1,860 0.19 330 0.03 674 0.07 4,600 0.4681 0.0001 472.5 4.00 86 0.01 1,440 0.14 486 4.00 84 0.01 268 0.03 160 0.016

105 0.0001 8,300 0.83 1,410 0.14 20,800 2.1 29,400 2.9 2,130 0.21 5,200 0.52 15,000 1.5

114 0.0005 516 0.26 94 0.05 1,120 0.56 2,200 1.1 126 0.06 200 0.10 1,100 0.55118 0.0001 23,200 2.32 5,390 0.54 62,100 6.2 88,800 8.9 7,740 0.77 10,300 1.0 32,000 3.2

123 0.0001 364 0.04 50 0.01 791 0.08 1,210 0.12 84 0.01 179 0.02 700 0.07126 0.1 108 10.80 32 3.2 3,340 334 372 37.2 270 27 268 26.8 440 44

156/157 0.0005 4,470 2.24 2,950 1.5 21,900 11 18,200 9.1 4,180 2.1 3,300 1.7 9,200 4.6

167 0.00001 1,960 0.02 1,380 0.01 8,560 0.09 7,040 0.07 2,020 0.02 1,500 0.02 4,200 0.042169 0.01 495.4 4.00 140 1.4 1,250 13 321 3.2 315 3.2 275 2.8 350 3.5170 0.0001 17,400 1.74 22,500 2.3 129,000 13 60,100 6.0 38,200 3.8 16,500 1.7 49,000 4.9180 0.00001 48,900 0.49 47,400 0.47 299,000 3.0 153,000 1.5 75,700 0.76 34,400 0.34 140,000 1.4189 0.0001 695 0.07 832 0.08 4,640 0.46 2,300 0.23 1,290 0.13 828 0.08 1,900 0.19

Total TEQ from PCBs NA NA 19 NA 9.7 NA 383 NA 71 NA 38 NA 35 259,000 64

1These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.2Average values for head-of-tide low-flow samples collected from the Elizabeth River at Hillside, N.J., during Phase I. See Wilson and Bonin, 2007.3Values of TEQ are in units of picograms per gram as 2,3,7,8-TCDD.4Congener not detected. Value reported is estimated detection level (EDL). The concentration of non-detected congeners was set to 0 when calculating TEQ.
16 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

A goal of this study was to determine whether a distinct 

chemical signature exists that can be used to identify suspended sediment from either branch of the Elizabeth River. 

The data do not appear to show distinct chemical signatures 

for either tributary as the relative concentrations (percent of 

total contributed by each congener group) for PCB homologs 

in the suspended sediment (table 5) were found to be generally 

the same. There are, however, a few characteristics in the PCB 

composition that may be useful in identifying the sources of 

sediment to the downstream reaches. The most notable differences observed were that the suspended sediment in the West 

Branch contained a slightly higher percentage of the tetrachlorinated homologs and a slightly lower percentage of the 

hepta- and octa-chlorinated homologs than in the Main Stem, 

but these differences are minor.

When compared with the average concentrations measured previously at the head-of-tide sampling site (table 5), 

the samples from the Main Stem and West Branch collected 

in 2008 contained higher percentages of hexa-chlorinated 

homologs and lower percentages of tri- and nona-chlorinated 

homologs. In other words, there appears to be a shift toward 

the middle chlorination level homologs in the suspended sediment collected upstream from the head-of-tide site.

 When comparing the average ratios of the homolog 

groups in high-flow and low-flow samples between the two 

branches and the head-of-tide site (table 6), the differences 

appear to be minor. However, suspended sediment from both 

branches appears to be enriched in the lower level (mono- to 

tetra-) chlorinated compounds when compared to the values 

from the suspended-sediment samples from the head-of-tide 

site. The average ratio of the high-flow samples to low-flow 

samples from the West Branch of the Elizabeth River seems 

to indicate that the West Branch may be enriched in the higher 

level (nona- and deca-) chlorinated homolog groups 

compared to the head-of-tide site and to the Main Stem. Of 

the coplanar congeners that were measurable in the samples 

collected in this study (table 7), all coplanar PCBs were present in higher concentrations in the West Branch than in the 

Main Stem at low flow, with the exception of PCB 81, which 

was detected at similar concentrations in both branches at low 

flow. At high flow, however, all coplanar PCBs were detected 

in higher concentrations in the Main Stem than in the West 

Branch, with the exception of PCB 11, which was detected at 

a higher concentration in the West Branch than in the Main 

Stem at high flow. However, the relative percentages of these 

congeners were approximately the same in the samples from 

the two branches. 

A few PCB congeners were found to be unique to the 

West Branch. Of the entire suite of congeners that was measured in low-flow and high-flow samples, PCBs 36, 54, 67, 79, 

93/100, 94, 96, 104, and 152 were present only in the samples 

from the West Branch, whereas no congener was unique to 

samples from the Main Stem. Therefore, these congeners 

could be used to identify and quantify sediment loads originating from the West Branch of the Elizabeth River.

PCB 11 was shown in previous studies to be a potentially useful marker of PCB sources and has been attributed 

to the production of pigments and associated waste in streams 

(Litton and others, 2002). PCB 11 was found to be present in 

samples collected during low-flow and high-flow conditions 

on both branches of the Elizabeth River. At low-flow and at 

high-flow conditions, the suspended-sediment-bound concentrations of PCB 11 were much higher for the West Branch of 

the Elizabeth River (3,590 pg/g and 6,460 pg/g, respectively) 

than for the Main Stem (224 pg/g and 1,420 pg/g, respectively) (table 7). The values for the Main Stem are less than 

the average low-flow value at the head-of-tide site (2,800 pg/g; 

table 7), but the values on the West Branch during low-flow 

and during high-flow conditions are greater than the average 

low-flow value for the head-of-tide site. Thus, PCB 11 may be 

useful in indicating the amount of mixing of tributary sediment as the waters converge to flow downstream to the headof-tide site. Further investigation of the sources of PCB 11 

could facilitate the identification of the sources of PCBs in the 

two branches.

Cadmium

The trace element cadmium was measured in grab 

samples that were collected approximately midway through 

the sampling period at both the Main Stem and West Branch of 

the Elizabeth River sites. Two samples were collected at both 

the Main Stem and West Branch of the Elizabeth River site—

one unfiltered sample was analyzed for total (whole-water) 

cadmium, and a second, filtered sample was analyzed for 

dissolved cadmium. The concentration of cadmium associated 

with the suspended sediment was assumed to be the difference 

between the two measured concentrations divided by the concentration of suspended sediment in each sample. For example, the calculation for particulate cadmium concentration is

Total Cd (ng/L) – Dissolved Cd (ng/L)

Suspended sediment (g/L) = Particulate Cd (ng/g)

The measured concentrations of total (whole-water) 

and dissolved cadmium, and the calculated concentrations of 

cadmium in the suspended sediment, are listed in table 4. Total 

Cd was 100 ng/L in the low-flow sample collected from the 

Main Stem of the Elizabeth River. A sample for total Cd could 

not be collected on the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River 

during the sample collection at high flow. Total Cd concentrations were less than 60 ng/L (non-detectable) and an estimated 

53 ng/L (below the reporting level) for the West Branch of the 

Elizabeth River during low-flow and high-flow conditions, 

respectively. Dissolved Cd concentrations were 78 ng/L on 

the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River during low-flow conditions and an estimated 13 ng/L (below the reporting level) and 

38 ng/L on the West Branch of the Elizabeth River during lowflow and high-flow conditions, respectively. Both total and 

dissolved Cd concentrations measured during this study were 
Occurrence of Organic Compounds and Cadmium in Suspended Sediment 17

Table 8. Concentrations and toxic equivalent quotients for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and difuran congeners in samples of suspended sediment from Elizabeth River, New Jersey, 2008.[TEF, toxic equivalence factor; CDD, chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins; CDF, chlorinated dibenzo-p-furans; T, tetra; Pe, penta; Hx, hexa; Hp, hepta; O, octa; CON, concentration; TEQ, toxic equivalency; all values in picograms per gram; <, less than; BE, blank eliminated]

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

Main Stem 

Elizabeth River

West Branch

Elizabeth River

West Branch

Elizabeth River

West Branch

Elizabeth River

Elizabeth River

head-of-tide1

Sample identifier EBEL0731032 3USG001SA 3USG002SA WBEL0807032 3USG003SA 3USG004SA Average Condition/type Low flow Low flow High flow Low flow Low flow High flowOrganic compound TEF 3 CON TEQ CON TEQ CON TEQ CON TEQ CON TEQ CON TEQ CON TEQ2,3,7,8-TCDD 1 4<8.0 0.00 4.3 4.3 7.2 7.2 4<9.8 0.00 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.6 5.1 5.11,2,3,7,8-PeCDD 1 8.9 8.85 22 22 23 23 4<6.5 .00 6.9 6.9 9.5 9.5 24 241,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD 0.1 BE .00 22 2.2 104 10 BE .00 18.8 1.9 29 2.9 93 9.31,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD 0.1 13 1.3 22 2.2 40 4.0 11 1.1 6.9 0.69 14 1.4 32 3.21,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD 0.1 BE 0 22 2.2 113 11 BE .00 21 2.1 33 3.3 84 8.41,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD 0.01 550 5.5 136 1.4 4,290 43 813 8 426 4.3 854 8.5 1,700 17OCDD 0.0001 6,110 0.61 2,400 0.24 33,500 3.4 8,040 .80 4,800 0.48 10,500 1.1 19,500 2.02,3,7,8-TCDF 0.1 37 3.7 4.3 0.43 28 2.8 25 2.5 4.8 0.48 5.7 0.57 77 7.71,2,3,7,8-PeCDF 0.05 11 0.53 22 1.1 16 0.80 10 .50 3.1 0.15 8.0 0.40 20 .992,3,4,7,8-PeCDF 0.5 BE .00 22 11 34 17 BE .00 9.5 4.7 11 5.4 49 241,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF 0.1 BE .00 7.2 0.72 91 9.1 38 3.8 31 3.1 48 4.8 110 112,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF 0.1 BE .00 22 2.2 41 4.1 BE .00 14 1.4 17 1.7 45 4.51,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF 0.1 BE .00 4.8 0.48 61 6.1 BE .00 19 1.9 19 1.9 170 171,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF 0.1 4<4.6 .00 22 2.2 36 3.6 4<5.8 .00 21 2.1 6.7 0.7 2.1 .211,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF 0.01 180 1.8 49 0.49 984 9.8 304 3.1 214 2.1 299 3.0 610 6.11,2,3,4,7,8,9-HpCDF 0.01 BE .00 22 0.22 43 0.43 BE .00 15 0.15 20 0.20 41 .41OCDF 0.0001 362 0.04 79 0.01 1520 0.15 643 .06 290 0.03 580 0.06 1,150 .12Total CDD 6,680 16 2,630 34 38,000 102 8,860 10 5,290 21 11,400 31 21,400 69Total CDF 590 6.1 253 18 2,860 54 1,020 9.9 622 16 1,020 19 2,270 72Total 7,270 22 2,880 52 40,900 156 9,880 20 5,910 37 12,400 50 23,700 141

1Average values for head-of-tide low-flow samples collected from the Elizabeth River at Hillside, N.J., during Phase I. See Wilson and Bonin, 2007.2These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.3TEF values from van Leeuwen, 1997.4Value is the reported estimated detection level; actual concentration would be less than this value. TEQ set to 0.0 for non-detected congeners.
18 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

similar to total and dissolved concentrations measured in the 

earlier studies of these tributaries. Average total and dissolved 

Cd concentrations measured previously for the head-of-tide 

site on the Elizabeth River at Hillside were much higher than 

any of the concentrations measured in this study or previously 

for these tributaries (table 4).

The concentration of total trace elements is related to the 

amount of suspended material that is captured in a sample, 

especially in systems where the suspended sediment has a 

high content of trace elements (Wilson and Bonin, 2007). 

For the most part, the concentrations of suspended-sedimentbound cadmium in these rivers were similar to the cadmium 

concentrations measured earlier for these tributaries (Wilson 

and Bonin, 2008), and only a weak correlation was observed 

between the concentration of suspended sediment or POC and 

these cadmium concentrations. Further sampling would be 

needed to determine whether whole-water or total cadmium 

concentrations in these tributaries are a function of the amount 

of suspended sediment captured.

Tributary Loads

The loads of suspended sediment and constituents were 

calculated for each tributary using the available USGS discharge data and the constituent concentrations in the samples 

collected during this study.

Suspended-Sediment and Carbon Loads

River discharge and suspended sediment are key pieces 

of information needed to construct suspended-sediment rating 

curves, which show the relations between daily discharge and 

daily suspended-sediment load. Because the two branches 

of the Elizabeth River have not been routinely monitored or 

sampled by the USGS for discharge or suspended sediment, 

the suspended sediment to discharge relation based on the 

25 years of data from the Elizabeth River at Ursino Lake, N.J., 

was substituted for these rivers. The head-of-tide site is in 

close proximity and has comparable land area and land cover 

to that in the branches of the Elizabeth River (Wilson and 

Bonin, 2008). According to the discharge measured in each 

branch at the time that it was sampled (under low-flow conditions), approximately 88 percent of the combined discharge 

was supplied by the West Branch, and 12 percent was supplied 

by the Main Stem (upstream from the confluence) (Wilson and 

Bonin, 2008). Loads in the tributaries were estimated using 

relations developed previously for the Elizabeth River headof-tide site; the load calculations were, in turn, based on the 

discharge proportioned between the two branches. 

The suspended-sediment loads then were multiplied by 

the concentration of the total suspended-sediment-bound PCB, 

PCDD/PCDF, or Cd at high-flow and low-flow conditions, as 

demonstrated previously (Wilson and Bonin, 2007), to obtain 

respective constituent loads. The constituent loads for the 

high-flow and low-flow samples were also averaged to obtain 

an estimated average annual constituent load for each branch 

of the Elizabeth River, as required by the CARP and done in 

previous studies (Wilson and Bonin, 2007). The estimated 

average annual discharge in each branch was multiplied by the 

associated total dissolved cadmium concentration to obtain the 

yearly average dissolved loads for cadmium.

The average annual suspended-sediment loads, calculated 

using sediment-discharge relations based on data for water 

years1

 1975 to 2001 (where discharge data were available; see 

table 9) are presented for the two branches of the Elizabeth 

River and for the head-of-tide site on the Elizabeth River at 

Hillside, N.J., in table 10 (Wilson and Bonin, 2008; Wilson 

and Bonin, 2007). The head-of-tide site on the Elizabeth River 

at Hillside has a mean annual discharge of 6,220 Mgal/yr (million gallons per year), an estimated sediment load of 0.42 million kilograms of suspended sediment per year, and 14,400 kg 

of POC per year. These values are based on discharge data 

collected over 27 years and on data from suspended-sediment 

grab samples collected over 16 years (Bonin and Wilson, 

2007). The Main Stem of the Elizabeth River is estimated to 

contribute 12 percent of the discharge and loads to the headof-tide site, which translates to an average annual discharge of 

746 Mgal/yr, 0.05 million kilograms of suspended sediment 

per year, and 1,730 kg of POC per year. The West Branch of 

the Elizabeth River is estimated to contribute 88 percent of the 

discharge and loads to the head-of-tide site, which translates 

to an mean annual discharge of 5,474 Mgal/yr, 0.37 million 

kilograms of suspended sediment per year, and 12,700 kg of 

POC per year (table 10). 

Constituent Loads

The discharge and suspended-sediment loads calculated 

during this study under low-flow and high-flow conditions 

indicate that, of the two branches of the Elizabeth River, the 

West Branch clearly contributes a larger load of PCBs and 

PCDD/PCDFs to the Elizabeth River head-of-tide site than 

the Main Stem. During low-flow conditions, the West Branch 

contributes 416 g/yr of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs 

and 2.2 g/yr of suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/PCDFs, 

whereas the Main Stem contributes 27 g/yr of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs and 0.14 g/yr of suspended-sediment-bound 

PCDD/PCDFs. During high-flow conditions the West Branch 

contributes 231 g/yr of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs and 

4.6 g/yr of suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/PCDFs, whereas 

the Main Stem contributes 176 g/yr of suspended-sedimentbound PCBs and 2.05 g/yr of suspended-sediment-bound 

1

The water year in North America is referred to as the twelve-month period 

beginning October 1 in one year and ending September 30 of the following year. The water year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. 

(Natural Resources Conservation Services National Water and Climate Center, 

accessed September 10, 2010)
Tributary Loads 19

Table 9. Rating curves for suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon in the West Branch and Main Stem of the Elizabeth 

River in New Jersey.

[kg/d, kilograms per day; Mgal/d, millions gallons per day; ln, natural logarithm; r2, correlation coefficient]

Period of discharge 

data used

Length of 

discharge 

record, 

in years

Period of water-quality 

data used

Suspended sediment 

rating curve 

(SS = suspended-sediment 

load in kg/d; 

Q = mean daily discharge, in Mgal/d)

Particulate organic carbon 

rating curve 

(POC = Particulate organic carbon 

load in kg/d; 

Q = mean daily discharge, in Mgal/d)

10/1/75–9/30/02 27 10/25/78–8/1/94 1

ln (SS) = 1.557 * ln (Q) + 1.848 

r2

 = 0.70

1

ln (POC) = 1.218 * ln (Q) – 0.015 

r

2

 = 0.56

1

These equations were developed for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study for low-flow conditions on these two tributaries. See 

Wilson and Bonin, 2008.

PCDD/PCDFs. The low-flow samples collected in previous studies during 2003 and the subsequent loads calculated 

from those samples support this assessment that the West 

Branch is the larger contributor of suspended-sediment loads 

of PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs when compared to the Main 

Stem (table 10).

The total toxicity load (as measured by TEQ load) of the 

West Branch of the Elizabeth River is also much higher than 

that of the Main Stem at low-flow conditions, approximately 

9 times higher. The TEQ load during high-flow conditions is 

nearly equal (table 10). The TEQ is 28 mg/yr and 32 mg/yr in 

the West Branch of the Elizabeth River during low-flow and 

high-flow conditions, respectively, and 3.1 mg/yr and 27 mg/yr 

in the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River during low-flow and 

high-flow conditions, respectively. TEQ loads from PCBs and 

PCDD/PCDFs are larger in the West Branch of the Elizabeth 

River than in the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River during 

low-flow conditions. Total TEQ loads of the PCDD/PCDFs are 

larger in the West Branch than the Main Stem during highflow conditions. In contrast, the TEQ load from PCBs in the 

Main Stem (19 mg/yr) is larger than the TEQ load from PCBs 

in the West Branch (13 mg/yr) during high-flow conditions. 

The estimated loads of PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs for 

each branch were calculated by averaging the two load values 

(one for low-flow and one for high-flow conditions) for each 

branch, as was done in the previous study per the requirements 

of the CARP program (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 2001); estimated loads of PCBs and PCDD/

PCDFs are presented in table 10. The average estimated 

loads for Elizabeth River at Hillside, N.J., are also presented 

in table 10 for comparison to the present study (Wilson and 

Bonin, 2007). 

The loads also were estimated using a different method 

based on the period of record of discharge for the Elizabeth 

River at Ursino Lake, N.J., site; the resulting suspendedsediment rating curve was calculated on the basis of the 

25-year historical discharge rating curve developed previously 

for the Elizabeth River (table 9) (Wilson and Bonin, 2007). 

Discharge and suspended sediment were plotted in relation to 

percent exceedance for both branches of the Elizabeth River, 

on the basis of the assumed proportion of discharge used by 

Wilson and Bonin (2008). The low-flow events and the highflow events were plotted on flow-duration graphs for the two 

branches of the Elizabeth River (figs. 4 and 5). A threshold 

point was assumed on each plot below which the low-flow 

concentration for PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs was applied and 

above which the high-flow concentration for PCBs and PCDD/

PCDFs was applied. Each discharge point used to calculate the 

25-year average flow was used to estimate a suspended-sediment daily load value using that day’s mean discharge from 

the rating curve developed previously. The value of the mean 

daily discharge, either above or below the assumed threshold, 

would dictate which contaminant concentration would be 

used in the calculation, either low-flow PCB or PCDD/PCDF 

concentration, or high-flow PCB or PCDD/PCDF concentration. The daily loads were summed for each of the available 25 years of discharge data, and a 25-year load average 

was estimated for each branch of the Elizabeth River. These 

estimated loads are presented in table 10 and can be compared 

to the loads that were estimated previously by averaging the 

low-flow and high-flow loads for the head-of-tide site (Wilson 

and Bonin, 2007). 

The loads estimated as average loads for one sample collected during low flow and one sample collected during high 

flow on the Elizabeth River can be compared to the loads estimated using the 25-year flow-weighted average method. For 

the Main Stem of the Elizabeth River, the loads of PCBs and 

PCDD/PCDFs and the TEQ loads estimated using the 25-year 

flow-weighted average method were about one-half the loads 

estimated by averaging the load values from low-flow and 

high-flow events. For the West Branch of the Elizabeth River, 

the loads of PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs and the TEQ loads 

estimated using the 25-year flow-weighted average method are 

comparable to and slightly smaller (with the exception of the 

PCDD/PCDF loads that were slightly larger) than the loads 

calculated by averaging the values from the low-flow and 

high-flow events (table 10). 

The loads for cadmium are presented in table 11 and indicate that the West Branch is a larger contributor of dissolved 

and suspended-sediment-bound cadmium to the Elizabeth 
20 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008 Table 10. Estimated loads of suspended sediment, particulate organic carbon, and organic compounds in samples from the Elizabeth River, New Jersey, 2008. [Mgal/yr, million gallons per year; kg/yr, kilograms per year; g/yr, grams per year; mg/yr, milligrams per year; NA, not available; TEQ, toxic equivalence; PCB, polychlorinated biphenyl; PCDD/PCDF, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and difurans] Main Stem Elizabeth River (above confluence) West Branch Elizabeth River Elizabeth River at head- of-tide1 River condition Low flow Low flow High flow Average 25-year flow-weighted average Low flow Low flow High flow Average 25-year flow-weighted average Average Study/date sampled 7/31/032 10/22/08 10/25/08 10/22/08 and 10/25/08 10/22/08 and 10/25/08 8/7/032 11/7/08 11/13/08 11/7/08 and 11/13/08 11/7/08 and 11/13/08 NA Dates of available discharge data NA NA NA NA 1/1/75– 9/30/02 NA NA NA NA 1/1/75– 9/30/02 10/1/75– 9/30/02 Mean annual discharge (Mgal/yr) 746 3(12 percent) 746 3(12 percent) 746 3(12 percent) 746 3(12 percent) NA 5,474 3(88 percent) 5,474 3(88 percent) 5,474 3(88 percent) 5,474 3(88 percent) NA 6,220 Suspended- sediment load (millions of kg/yr) 0.05 3(12 percent) 0.05 3(12 percent) 0.05 3(12 percent) 0.05 3(12 percent) NA 0.37 3(88 percent) 0.37 3(88 percent) 0.37 3(88 percent) 0.37 3(88 percent) NA 0.42 Particulate organic carbon load (kg/yr) 1,730 3(12 percent) 1,730 3(12 percent) 1,730 3(12 percent) 1,730 3(12 percent) NA 12,700 3(88 percent) 12,700 3(88 percent) 12,700 3(88 percent) 12,700 3(88 percent) NA 14,400 Suspended- sediment-bound PCB load (g/yr) 40 27 176 102 48 1,150 416 231 323 210 1,000 Suspended- sediment-bound PCDD/PCDF load (g/yr) 0.36 0.14 2.05 1.09 0.55 3.7 2.2 4.6 3.4 3.8 12 TEQ load from PCDD/PCDF (mg/yr) 1.1 2.6 7.8 5.2 2.2 7.4 13.7 18.5 16.1 15.8 56 TEQ load from PCBs (mg/yr) 0.95 0.49 19 9.8 5.2 26 14.1 13.0 13.7 11.3 28 Total TEQ load (mg/yr) 2.1 3.1 27 15 7.4 34 28 32 30 27 84

1Load estimates calculated using samples collected from the Elizabeth River at Hillside, N.J., during Phase I. See Wilson and Bonin, 2007.2These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.3Reported value represents the estimated percentage of the mean annual discharge in the main stem Elizabeth River.
Tributary Loads 21

1,000

100

High-flow event

sampled 10-25-2008

Low-flow event

sampled 10-22-2008

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

Suspended sediment, in kilograms per day

10

1

0.1

1,000

10,000

100,000

100

10

1

0.1

0 10 20 30 40 50

Percent exceedence

60 70 80 90 100

Threshold point

(~36 percent, 1.76 ft /s)

Discharge, in cubic feet per second (ft /s)

Suspended sediment, in kilograms per day (kg/d)

EXPLANATION

3

3

Figure 4. Flow-duration curve and suspended-sediment loads at station 01393300, Elizabeth River above West 

Branch at Hillside, N.J. (Main Stem of the Elizabeth River).

10,000

1,000

High-flow event

sampled 11-13-2008

Low-flow event

sampled 11-07-2008

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

Suspended sediment, in kilograms per day

100

10

1

10,000

100,000

1,000,000

1,000

100

10

1

0 10 20 30 40 50

Percent exceedence

60 70 80 90 100

Threshold point

(~41 percent, 12.32 ft /s) 3

Discharge, in cubic feet per second (ft /s) 3

Suspended sediment, in kilograms per day (kg/d)

EXPLANATION

Figure 5. Flow-duration curve and suspended-sediment loads at station 01393345, West Branch of the Elizabeth 

River above Sayre Rd at Union, N.J.
22 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008 Table 11. Estimated loads of cadmium in samples from the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, 2008. [NA, not available; na, not applicable; <, less than; kg/yr, kilograms per year] Main Stem Elizabeth River (upstream from confluence) West Branch Elizabeth River Dates of available discharge data NA NA NA NA NA NA NA River condition Low flow High flow Low flow Low flow High flow Low flow Average Date sampled 10/22/08 10/25/08 7/31/031 11/7/08 11/13/08 8/7/031 11/7/08 and 11/13/08 Dissolved cadmium load (kg/yr) 0.22 na 0.3 0.27 0.79 .56 0.52 Suspended sediment cadmium load (kg/yr) 0.47 na 0.72 <7.1 0.47 1.2 <3.79

1These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.

Table 12. Constituent loads expressed as percentage of the average annual suspended-sediment load for the tributaries to, and the heads-of-tide of, the Elizabeth River, New Jersey, 2008.[Values are in percent. POC, particulate organic carbon; TEQ, toxic equivalence; PCDD/PCDFs, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and difurans; PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls]

Main Stem Elizabeth River 

(upstream from confluence) West Branch Elizabeth River

Discharge 112 112 112 112 188 188 188 188Suspended sediment 112 112 112 112 188 188 188 188POC 112 112 112 112 188 188 188 188River condition Low Flow Average Low Flow High Flow Low Flow Average Low Flow High FlowDate sampled 7/31/032 10/22/08 and 10/25/08 10/22/08 10/25/08 8/7/032 11/7/08 and 11/13/08 11/7/08 11/13/08Suspended sediment-bound PCBs 4 10 3 18 115 32 42 23Suspended sediment PCDD/PCDFs 3 9 1 17 31 28 18 38TEQ from PCDD/PCDFs 2 9 5 14 13 29 24 33TEQ from PCBs 3 35 2 68 93 49 50 46Total TEQ 3 18 4 32 40 35 33 38

1Loads based on estimated discharge.2These samples were collected during base flow for the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Phase II study. See Wilson and Bonin, 2008.
Summary and Conclusions 23

River than is the Main Stem during low-flow conditions, 

though comparisons can be made only for samples collected 

during low flow because collection of a sample from the Main 

Stem during the high-flow event for cadmium analysis was not 

feasible. The loads for dissolved cadmium in samples collected from the West Branch during low-flow and high-flow 

conditions are 0.27 kg/yr and 0.79 kg/yr, respectively, and 

0.22 kg/yr for the Main Stem during low-flow conditions. The 

loads for suspended-sediment-bound cadmium in samples 

collected from the West Branch during low-flow and high-flow 

conditions are less than 7.1 kg/yr and 0.47 kg/yr, respectively, 

and 0.47 kg/yr for the Main Stem during low-flow conditions. 

The differences between the summed contaminant loads 

for the tributaries and for those estimated for the head-of-tide 

site, and the differences between the loads calculated for low 

flow in this study and those calculated for low flow in the 

previous study, reflect the effects of (1) the uncertainty caused 

by the limited number of samples available to characterize the 

variation in the tributary loads; (2) the error in the estimation 

procedures, including the rating curves and assumed estimated 

discharge percentages for each branch; (3) the processes that 

could alter the concentrations of suspended-sediment-bound 

contaminant species downstream from the confluence, including the presence of unknown sources in this area; (4) the 

possible differences due to sampling at different “low-flow” 

points along the flow regime curve; and (5) the possible variation due to sampling at different times of the year and a few 

years later.

The lack of historic discharge and suspended-sediment 

data makes it difficult to reliably estimate the loads for the 

West Branch and Main Stem of the Elizabeth River, the two 

tributaries that eventually combine and flow past the Elizabeth River head-of-tide site (tables 10 and 11). A noteworthy 

result is that the combined low-flow load of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs estimated for the two branches (443 g/yr; 

combining 27 g/yr for the Main Stem and 416 g/yr for the 

West Branch; table 10) is slightly more than one-third the 

total low-flow load estimated for the Elizabeth River at the 

head-of-tide (1,190 g/yr) calculated previously (Wilson and 

Bonin, 2008). The combined average load of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs estimated for the two branches (425 g/yr; 

combining 102 g/yr for the Main Stem and 323 g/yr for the 

West Branch, table 10) is slightly less than one-half the total 

average load estimated for the Elizabeth River at the headof-tide (1,000 g/yr) calculated previously (Wilson and Bonin, 

2008). This difference could be the result of analytical uncertainty, but more likely, it is the result of the assumed contribution of discharge and suspended sediment assigned to each 

tributary. Alternatively, the concentrations measured during 

this study may not accurately represent the range of values in 

the tributaries; the values for discharge or suspended-sediment 

load may have been greatly underestimated, or suspendedsediment-bound PCBs may have come into the system somewhere between the confluence and the head-of-tide sampling 

site at Hillside, N.J. Because the proportion of the discharge 

attributed to each branch was assumed, the proportion 

supplied by each branch and the enrichment factors for the 

loads are considered to be only rough estimates (table 12). A 

more complete discharge/suspended-sediment record is needed 

to improve the estimates of loads. However, on the basis of the 

available concentration data and resulting load calculations, 

the West Branch of the Elizabeth River appears to be the more 

important contributor of PCBs, PCDD/PCDFs, total toxicity 

(as measured by the TEQ loads), and cadmium during lowflow and high-flow conditions. 

Summary and Conclusions

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study to characterize and determine the concentrations and loads of organic 

compounds and cadmium in the West Branch and Main Stem 

of the Elizabeth River during low-flow and high-flow conditions as part of the New Jersey Department of Environmental 

Protection (NJDEP) Toxics Reduction Workplan for the New 

York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program. Samples of suspended sediment were collected from the two main tributaries 

to the freshwater Elizabeth River (the West Branch and the 

Main Stem) from October 2008 to November 2008, then analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated 

dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-difuran 

compounds (PCDD/PCDFs), and cadmium. This sampling 

was conducted on the basis of results obtained in the Phase II 

NJTRWP CARP study that was conducted at the two main 

tributaries to the Elizabeth River during low-flow conditions. 

The sampling and analytical methods used in this current 

study are identical to those used in the Phase I and Phase II 

NJTRWP work.

Organic chemicals and inorganic trace elements were 

found in measurable concentrations in suspended sediment 

from each of the branches of the Elizabeth River sampled during high-flow and low-flow conditions. The characteristics of 

the PCB and other constituent chemistries and the estimated 

loads of constituents and sediment were evaluated to determine whether the West Branch of the Elizabeth River was, in 

fact, the main source of PCB and PCDD/PCDF contamination 

upstream from the head-of-tide on the Elizabeth River. 

As a result of the elevated concentrations of PCBs and 

PCDD/PCDFs measured previously in the West Branch of 

the Elizabeth River, the sampling described in this report was 

undertaken in the two branches upstream from the head-oftide site with the goal of determining (1) the contribution of 

suspended sediment and contaminants from both branches 

(upstream from the confluence) during high-flow conditions to 

test the earlier theory that West Branch is the major contributor of contaminants to the Elizabeth River, (2) whether the 

samples collected on both branches during low-flow conditions would closely match data from the previous study carried 

out during low-flow conditions, and (3) whether distinctive 

characteristics exist in the contaminant chemistry that could 

serve as a marker for identifying the suspended sediment from 

each tributary. 
24 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

To help illustrate and better understand the various findings of this study, the following numbered conclusions are also 

presented in a tabular format for comparative purposes. The 

table in this section presents comparisons of the West Branch 

to the Main Stem for both low- and high-flow sampling events. 

As previously mentioned, long-term discharge data were 

not available for either of these branches, so the percentages 

that were estimated from previous studies, where discharge 

was crudely measured and flow proportioned between the two 

branches, were used. 

1. It was estimated that the West Branch may supply 80 to 

90 percent of the low-flow discharge downstream from the 

confluence. A greater contribution by the West Branch is 

consistent with the flows observed at the time the tributaries were sampled during low-flow conditions. Both 

branches of the Elizabeth River were sampled during 

high-flow conditions that were within 10 to 15 percent 

exceedance of the Elizabeth River at Hillside flow-duration curve. However, the estimated high-flow discharge of 

the West Branch of the Elizabeth River was greater than 

the estimated high-flow discharge of the Main Stem.

It is not known whether the estimated discharge proportions developed in a previous study hold true at elevated discharges. For the purposes of this study, it was assumed that the 

previously developed proportional discharges for each branch 

were reasonable for all flow conditions.

2. The concentrations of suspended sediment in the low-flow 

samples collected from each branch were comparable; 

however, the concentration of suspended sediment in the 

high-flow sample collected from the West Branch was 

almost twice that of the Main Stem. 

3. During low flow, the POC concentration in the West 

Branch was approximately 1.3 times higher than the POC 

concentration in the Main Stem. Similarly, during high 

flow, the POC concentration in the West Branch was 1.33 

times higher than that in the Main Stem. 

4. The concentration of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs 

in the West Branch was 2.1 times higher than that in the 

Main Stem during low flow. During high-flow conditions, 

the concentration of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs 

in the West Branch was 0.18 times lower than that in the 

Main Stem. (During high-flow conditions, the concentration of suspended-sediment-bound PCBs in the Main Stem 

was 5.66 times higher than that in the West Branch.) 

5. The concentration of suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/

PCDFs in the West Branch was 2 times higher than that in 

the Main Stem during low flow. During high-flow conditions, the concentration of suspended-sediment-bound 

PCDD/PCDFs in the West Branch was 0.3 times lower 

than that in the Main Stem. (During high-flow conditions, 

the concentration of suspended-sediment-bound PCDD/

PCDFs in the Main Stem was 3.3 times higher than that in 

the West Branch.) 

In terms of PCB and PCDD/PCDF concentrations, the 

West Branch of the Elizabeth River had higher values than the 

Main Stem of the Elizabeth River but only during low-flow 

conditions. The reverse occurred during high flows when the 

Main Stem had higher PCB and PCDD/PCDF concentrations 

than the West Branch of the Elizabeth River.

6. During low flow, the TEQ value calculated for the PCDD/

PCDFs in the West Branch was 0.71 times lower than that 

calculated for the Main Stem. During high flow, the TEQ 

value calculated for the PCDD/PCDFs in the West Branch 

was 0.32 times lower than that calculated for the Main 

Stem. (During low flow, the TEQ value calculated for the 

PCDD/PCDFs in the Main Stem was 1.4 times higher 

than that calculated for the West Branch. During high 

flow, the TEQ value calculated for the PCDD/PCDFs in 

the Main Stem was 3.1 times higher than that calculated 

for the West Branch.) 

7. During low flow, the TEQ value calculated for the PCBs 

in the West Branch was 3.9 times higher than that calculated for the Main Stem. During high flow, the TEQ 

value calculated for the PCBs in samples from the West 

Branch was 0.09 times lower than that calculated for the 

Main Stem. (During high flow, the TEQ value calculated 

for the PCBs in samples from the Main Stem was roughly 

11 times higher than that calculated for the West Branch.)

8. In terms of total toxicity, as calculated for the various 

PCDD/PCDFs and PCBs that have TEF values, at low 

flow the West Branch had a slightly higher (1.2 times) 

toxicity than the Main Stem, but during high flow, the 

West Branch had a much lower (0.16 times) total toxicity 

than the Main Stem. (During high flow, the Main Stem 

had a much higher total toxicity than the West Branch by 

6.3 times.) 

The relative concentrations for PCB homologs in the 

suspended sediment were generally the same for both tributaries, though a shift toward middle chlorination level homologs 

distinguished the tributary data from the data collected previously at the head-of-tide site. Generally, PCBs were present in 

higher concentrations in samples from the West Branch than 

in samples from the Main Stem during low flow and in higher 

concentrations in samples from the Main Stem than in samples 

from the West Branch during high-flow conditions.

9. A few (nine) unique PCB congeners were present only 

in the samples from the West Branch, although no PCB 

congener was unique to the Main Stem.
Summary and Conclusions 25

10. PCB 11 was shown to be present in both tributaries during 

both high-flow and low-flow conditions, though at a much 

higher concentration in a sample from the West Branch. 

The concentration of PCB 11 in the West Branch was 16 

times higher and 4.55 times higher than the concentration 

of PCB 11 in the Main Stem during low-flow and highflow conditions, respectively. 

11. The concentrations of total and dissolved cadmium were 

lower in the West Branch than in the Main Stem during 

low-flow conditions. No comparisons can be made for 

samples collected during high flow because a cadmium 

sample was unattainable from the Main Stem during high 

flow. 

This result is similar to the results found previously with 

respect to cadmium concentrations in samples collected during 

low-flow conditions.

12. The loads that were calculated using either the average of 

the low-flow and high-flow samples or a 25-year flow and 

sediment-weighted average indicate that the West Branch 

is the likely major contributor of PCBs, PCDD/PCDFs, 

toxicity (measured by TEQ), and cadmium to the head-oftide site downstream on the Elizabeth River. 

However, the loads estimated in this study indicate that 

the sum of the average loads in the Main Stem and West 

Branch of the Elizabeth River are not enough to account for 

the total average loads estimated for the head-of-tide site. 

Although this may indicate the presence of other sources 

of PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs between the head-of-tide and 

the point at which the tributaries converge, additional work 

would be needed to verify this. On the basis of these results 

(and assumptions made regarding discharge), however, the 

West Branch is the likely major contributor of PCBs, PCDD/

PCDFs, and toxicity (measured by TEQ) to the head-of-tide of 

the Elizabeth River.

Summary of conclusions presented for the Main Stem and West Branch of the Elizabeth River, 

New Jersey, 2008.

[POC, particulate organic carbon; SS, suspended sediment; PCB, polychlorinated biphenyl; PCDD/PCDF, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and 

difurans; TEQs, toxic equivalencies; N/A, not available]

Conclusion Constituent

Relation of West Branch of the Elizabeth River to the 

Main Stem of the Elizabeth River

Low Flow High Flow

1 Discharge contributed by each branch: 80 to 90 percent of total flow Greater1

2 Suspended-sediment concentration: Comparable Approximately 2 times higher

3 POC concentration: 1.3 times higher 1.33 times higher

4 SS-bound PCB concentration: 2.1 times higher 0.18 times lower

5 SS-bound PCDD/PCDF concentration: 2 times higher 0.30 times lower

6 TEQs for PCDD/PCDFs: 0.71 times lower 0.32 times lower

7 TEQs for PCBs: 3.9 times higher 0.09 times lower

8 Total toxicity: 1.2 times higher 0.16 times lower

9 Unique PCB congeners: 9 unique congeners as compared 

to no unique congeners

9 unique congeners as compared 

to no unique congeners

10 PCB 11: 16 times higher 4.55 times higher

11 Concentration of total and dissolved cadmium: Lower N/A

12 Loads of SS-bound PCBs, PCDD/PCDFs, total 

TEQs, and cadmium: Higher Higher 

1

The exact or estimated percentage of flow contributed by the West Branch of the Elizabeth River as compared to the Main Stem of the Elizabeth 

River during high flow conditions cannot be quantified as discharge measurements were not made. A visual determination was made and comparisons 

based thereupon.
26 Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October–November 2008

As discussed previously, the concentrations of total 

PCDD/PCDFs in the West Branch are double the concentrations in the Main Stem during low flow; however, the total 

PCDD/PCDF concentrations are much greater in the Main 

Stem than in the West Branch during high flow. This finding 

that the major contributor of PCDD/PCDFs changes depending on the flow condition precludes the use of PCDD/PCDF 

concentrations in identifying the tributary source to the headof-tide site. Similarly, the suite of measurable PCDD/PCDFs 

and their relative concentrations are essentially identical in the 

two branches and at the head-of-tide, which limits their usefulness for distinguishing the tributaries as sources.

The uncertainty associated with calculations made using 

these data indicates the need to sample rivers during high-flow 

conditions, as well as during low-flow conditions. These data 

also indicate that quantifying the amount of sediment carried in a river system is a crucial part of calculating loads of 

contaminants. Caution is needed in using these data because a 

limited number of samples were used to make calculations and 

form conclusions. Assumptions as to the estimated proportional discharge coming from each branch may cause some of 

the load calculations to be inaccurate so that further studies to 

quantify the volumes of water and sediment coming from each 

branch are warranted. Sampling at different flow conditions 

would lead to a more representative view of the concentrations 

of suspended sediment and contaminants along the flowduration curve. Future studies could include the use of a flowduration curve and suspended-sediment rating curves for the 

other rivers to arrive at more accurate loads of sediment and 

contaminants to Newark Bay that are not skewed by weighting 

high-flow samples too heavily in load calculations.

Acknowledgments

The author thanks Daniel Shourds for assistance in 

sampling; Joel Pecchioli and Bob Hazen of the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection for program coordination; 

and David Thal of Enviromental Standards Inc, Valley Forge, 

Pennsylvania, for guidance in chemical analysis protocols.

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For additional information, write to:

Director, 

New Jersey Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

810 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 206

West Trenton, NJ 08628

or visit our Web site at:

http://nj.usgs.gov/

Document prepared by the West Trenton Publishing Service Center
Bonin—Organic Compounds and Cadmium in the Tributaries to the Elizabeth River in New Jersey, October to November 2008—Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5204