Distribution of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in industrial and municipal effluents in the Houston Ship Channel, Texas

This paper presents the results from sampling municipal and industrial effluents at 16 locations for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) within the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) in Houston, Texas. USEPA method 1668A which uses high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) was employed to analyze for all 209 PCB congeners. Results from the analyses showed that PCB homolog concentrations were dominated by monochlorobiphenyls through hexachlorobiphenyls, with lighter PCBs and heavier PCBs exhibiting their highest concentrations in the dissolved and suspended phases respectively. Total suspended solids (TSS) and log Koc values were the main variables that influenced the level of understanding of the impact that PCB loads have on organisms in the Channel.