# Total Maximum Daily Load for PCBs in the Houston Ship Channel

University of Houston Parsons July 14, 2009 

# Outline

• 

# FY 2008 PCB results • 

# 2009 PCB sampling status • 

# PCB concentration over time

# FY 2008 PCB Results

FY 2008 PCB Sampling – 37 sites sampled for water (dissolved & suspended) – 25 sites sampled for sediment – 26 sites sampled for catfish and 19 sites sampled for seatrout or atlantic croaker – Additional sediment samples collected as part of intensive sediment sampling – Total PCB calculated as sum of 43 congeners (McFarland and Clarke, 1989); non-detects assumed as 1⁄2 MDL

# PCB Concentrations by Segment (2008) Water Sediment

Catfish Seatrout/Atlantic croaker



## PCB Homologue Distribution inWater, Sediment, and Fish

* Fish results include average of catfish and seatrout/atlantic croaker results

# Suspended vs DissolvedDioxin/PCB in Water

• Dioxin concentrations = ∑ 17 congeners; • PCB concentrations = ∑ 43 con g eners ( McFarland and Clarke, 1989) 

# Dioxin

PCB Location Reference Coastal locations in Hong Kong, China Wurl et al., 2006 Yangtse river, China Jiang et al., 2000 Singapore Wurl et al., 2006a Delaware River Rowe et al., 2007 Barcelona, Spain Garcıa-Flor et al., 2005 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France Garcıa-Flor et al., 2005 Lake Michigan Swackhamer et al., 1987 Green Bay Swackhamer et al., 1987 Ebro River, Spain Dachs et al., 1997 Danube Estuary,

Romania Maldonado and Bayona, 2002 Water bodies reported to have PCB higher in dissolved phase


# Summary 2008 PCB results Summary 2008 PCB results

• Water quality criteria exceeded in 41% of the samples • More than 70% of the fish samples exceeded DSHS Health Assessment Comparison Value. • Dissolved PCB concentration higher than suspended PCB concentration, contrary to what was observed during dioxin study.

# 2009 PCB Sampling Status

PCB Ambient Sampling - 2009

• 45 sites sampled for water (dissolved & suspended); 3 sites remain. • 33 sites sampled for sediment ; 2 sites remain. • Catfish and Seatrout/Atlantic croaker caught at 28 and 15 sites respectively, out of 36

sampled; 2 sites remain.

# Runoff Sampling - 2009

• 4 sites sampled (dissolved & suspended); 8 sites remain • 2 sites to be determined for small ditch to obtain a direct runoff concentration 

# Effluent Facility Selection Criteria • Presence of chlorinated organic compounds on the NPDES permit • Flow magnitude • Flow frequency: regular monthly flows required • Diversity of industry types • Location of outfalls to known PCB hot spots • Good spatial coverage of the entire HSC• Sampling planned once permissions received • 1 power plant facility under selection and not included in the figure 

# Effluent Sampling - 2009

Industry Types to be Sampled for Effluent • 20 Main Sampling Facilities (one still to be determined) • 5 Alternate Facilities SIC SIC Expansion Primary Alternate 2812 Alkalies and Chlorine 1 0 2821 Plstc Mat./Syn Resins/NV Elast 3 1 2869 Indust. Organic Chemicals NEC 5 0 2879 Pesticides & Ag Chemicals 1 0 2911 Petroleum Refining 1 0 4226 Special warehousing and storage 1 0 4911 Electrical Services 1 0 4952 Sewerage Systems 6 3 4953 Refuse Systems 1 0 2865 Cyclic Crude Intermediate Dyes 0 1

# Summary FY 2009 PCB Sampling Summary FY 2009 PCB Sampling

• Second round of ambient sampling almost complete for water, sediment and tissue • Runoff sampling on-going • Effluent sampling planned for near future

PCB Conc. Comparison: 2002-2003 & 2008 by Segment
Water Sediment

Catfish

# PCB Homologue Distribution Comparison Dissolved water

Sediment Fish Suspended water



# Comparison of Water/tissue Quality Standard Exceedance

Media 2008 Sampling 2002-2003 Sampling Stations sampled Stations that exceed

standard Station exceedance (%) Stations sampled Stations that exceed standard Station exceedance (%) Watera 37 15 41% 32 12 38% Catfish b 26 19 73% 45 36 80% Seatrout/Atlantic Croaker b 19 16 84% Not sampled * Concentrations based on 1/2 detection limit and ∑43 congeners a WQS (0.885 ng/L) b DSHS Health Assessment Comparison Value (47 ng/g)