Organochlorines in New York and the Hudson River: Sources, Environmental Distribution, and Health Risks

Projects

Descriptions

Project 1
Persistent Organochlorines in the Hudson River Watershed

Richard Bopp, Ph.D.
Publications

The goal of Dr. Bopp's project is to investigate the sources and distribution of organochlorine contaminants such as PCBs in the natural waters of the Hudson watershed. Analysis of Hudson River sediment, from several sites in the upper Hudson River, is currently being performed.

Sampling

1. Sediment cores were collected at two sites downwind of the General Electric capacitor plants in the upper Hudson basin. Analyses of sections of the cores from the Argyle wetland (sampled in July 2003) and the Carter's Pond wildlife preserve (sampled in November 2003) will be used to determine the history of atmospheric PCB flux in the area;
2. In August 2003, sediment cores were collected from the Sherman Island Pool on the upper Hudson. These are the best dated cores ever collected upstream of the GE capacitor plants and will provide important "background" PCB information as well as chronologies of contaminants introduced by paper plants further upstream;
3. In October 2003, a sampling trip to the western NY/NJ Harbor resulted in the collection of samples that will extend our contaminant chronologies in Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, KillvanKull, and Hackensack River to the present. In addition, it is anticipated that sections from the Hackensack River core can be matched with sections of previous cores from the same site to study contaminant transformations in situ.

Data Analysis and Interpretations

The most significant development in this area has been our analysis of PBDE, PCDD/F, brominated dioxin and furan, and PAH data in pre- and post-9/11 sediment samples from the NY/NJ Harbor. Our analysis indicates that the World Trade Center disaster was not a significant source of these contaminants to harbor sediments. Continuation of this work, however, will produce the first detailed assessment of PBDE and brominated dioxin and furan levels in Hudson basin sediments.

Collaborations/Innovative Spinoffs

Our work with Dr. James Webber, a leading expert in the analysis of asbestos fibres at the NYS Department of Health resulted in a manuscript that was submitted to Environmental Science and Technology. Dated sediment samples from Central Park Lake, Manhattan have been supplied to Dr. Webber for asbestos analysis and joint proposal submission is planned.

Collaboration with Drs. Lee Ferguson (University of South Carolina) and Bruce Brownawell (SUNY Stony Brook) has led to publication of a paper on historical levels, sources, and transformations of alkylphenol ethoxylates in sediments of Jamaica Bay (see below). Other dated sediment samples from the Hudson Basin, including those collected last year in the western harbor (see above) are currently being analyzed with funding from another source.

Continuing collaboration with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation will focus on dated-sediment based monitoring of dredging at the upper Hudson River PCB Superfund site. The P.I. of this project (R. Bopp) has also agreed to serve on an advisory panel to the US Army Corps of Engineers and the USEPA on the dioxin Superfund site in the western Harbor (80 Lister Avenue).

Future Goals

Sampling will focus on one site in the Passaic River, upstream of the first dam at Dundee. Data from this site is critical for understanding chlordane inputs to the western harbor and downstream transport of dioxins in the Passaic River.

A primary goal will be to complete radionuclide dating analysis on sediment cores that have already been collected including the 2002 samples from Central Park Lake and the 2003 collection described above.

Extracts of samples with highly dechlorinated PCB compositions will be prepared. Analysis of stable chlorine isotope ratios is being arranged through existing scientific collaborations of the co-P.I. (T. Abrajano).

Completion of a manuscript combining our geochemical perspective on persistent contaminants in NY/NJ harbor sediments with results of the Angler's Study (Project 5) is a top priority as is the development of manuscripts from the Ph.D. dissertation of D. Chaky (see above).