Leena Welling

Polychlorinated phenols, guaiacols and catechols in environment

Abstract Emissions, bioaccumulation and possible food chain enrichment of polychlorinated phenols, guaiacols and catechols have been studied by analyses of water, snow, ash, benthic animal, fish and bird samples in Finland. Seventeen individual compounds were analyzed using authentic reference model compounds and internal standard by GC/ECD. Although the enrichment potential of the studied compounds appeared to be lower than that of the chlorinated hydrocarbons, they proved to be very general pollutants and some of them showed specific bioaccumulation to certain species and high persistency thus forming environmental hazards.

The M74 syndrome of baltic salmon (Salmo salar) and organochlorine concentrations in the muscle of female salmon

Abstract Organochlorine concentrations in the muscle of female Baltic salmon (Salmo salar), ascending for spawning in the Simojoki River on the north-eastern coast of the Gulf of Bothnia from 1988 to 1992 are given in this paper in relation to reproduction success, monitored as viability of offspring. In spring 1992 and 1993 all the yolk-sac fry of 52 % and 75 % of the females, sampled in autumns 1991 and 1992 respectively, died due to the M74 syndrome, i.e., heavy mortality of yolk-sac fry (YSM). The TEOs of the most frequently detected polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs: 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and 2,3,7,8-TeCDF) and those of coplanar PCBs (CB77, CB126 and CB169) were about twice as high in 1991 and 1992 than before; these substances either showed a significantly increasing time trend or then none at all. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed a strong connection between YSM and the contents of these toxic congeners. PCA also indicated a strong negative connection with YSM and the orange colour intensity of eggs and a weak positive connection with YSM and oxychlordane, hexachlorobenzene and 2,3′,4,4′5-pentachlorodiphenyl ether. The PCA results were supported by the observed significant negative Pearson correlations between egg colour and the contents of toxic PCBs and PCDFs as well as between egg colour and YSM. These compounds seemed not to have any connection to early embryonal mortality, whereas total PCB and DDT concentrations did show an association to that.

Organic chlorine compounds in lake sediments. III. Chlorohydrocarbons, free and chemically bound chlorophenols

Abstract Chlorohydrocarbons and free and chemically bound chlorophenols, catechols and guaiacols were measured from lake sediments in Central Finland. Chlorohydrocarbons occurred at low backround levels except chlorocymenes from pulp mills and PCBs near the city of Aanekoski, where a local leakage occurrs. Free chlorophenols (hexane extractables) were found in all 18 areas studied, but the bound ones (extracted with strong alkali) only in the pulp mill reciepient lakes where they dominated. Preliminary analyses of chemically bound chlorophenols in high molecular fractions of spent bleach liquors and pulp mill effluents indicated that majority of chlorocatechols and guaiacols are bound already in the factory.

Chlorinated anisoles and veratroles in fish. Model compounds. Instrumental and sensory determinations

Abstract Model compounds of polychlorinated anisoles (PCA) and veratroles (PCV) have been used in development of their analysis in fish. Individual PCAs and PCVs in fish were identified from GC peaks by retention time, selected ion monitoring and flavour in sniff detector. Trout exposed to spent bleach liquor and fish in recipient of pulp chlorobleaching had significantly higher PCA and PCV contents than fish at less polluted reference areas. Taste impairment points of fish fillets given by a blind panel correlated significantly with PCA/PCV contents but also with contents of polychlorophenols (PCP), quaiacols (PCG) and catechols (PCC).

Organic chlorine compounds in lake sediments. VI. Two bottom sites of Lake Ladoga near pulp mills

Abstract Chloride, total and extractable organically bound chlorine, chlorohydrocarbons, polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDF) were measured in dated bottom sediment layers of two sites of the northern Lake Ladoga near pulp mills. Concentrations and annual depositions of pulp chlorobleaching products in Ladoga sediments were significantly lower than those in pulp mill recipient bottoms in Central Finland. However, typical chlorobleaching traces bound chlorophenolics, chlorocymenes and chlororetenes were readily identified. HCBz, HCHs and chlordanes occurred at low background levels like in Central Finland. In contrary, depositions of the DDT residues (4–16 μg m −2 a −1 ) and PCBs (7–19 μg m −2 a −1 ) at Ladoga were higher than the background levels in Finland (1 and 2 μg m −2 a −1 , respectively). PCB isomer pattern in Ladoga indicated a Russian origin. PCDD and PCDF were at low background levels. Their isomer patterns deviated from those of pulp mill effluent or common background. ECOTOXICITY of the sediments studied can be only very preliminarly estimated from the TEQ values (Tables 2 and 3). Bioaccumulation ratio from sediment to (zoobenthos) mussels (dw/fw) have been observed to be about one for PCDD/Fs and about ten for PCBs /21/. Consequently, the maximal TEQ level in exposed mussels from the surface sediment could be 37 and 35 pg/g (fresh weight). These levels have not been observed to cause any toxic effects to the animals, but they are of concern in food due to biomagnification. PCDDs and PCDFs are not, but PCBs are significant contributors to this concern.

Short chain aliphatic halocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in pine needles: effects of metal scrap plant emissions

Short chain aliphatic halocarbons (SCAHs) and semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) were analyzed in pine needles collected in the surroundings of a metal scrap plant. SCAHs were determined by purge and trap GC/MS and SOCs by dual column GC/ECD. Statistics were used to estimate the effect of metal reclamation on the concentrations of these compounds in pine needles. Pearson correlations and principal component analysis showed that PCBs, DDE and lindane originated from the metal scrap plant.

Chemical trends in finnish wildlife: a study on time trends in starlings during 1967-1983

Abstract The OECD monitoring programmes 1966–1971 and 1972–1975 have been extended at national level in Finland to 1983 by analysing chlorinated hydrocarbons, mercury and chlorophenols in starlings (terrestrial environment). At the end of the study period levels in fresh muscles were for DDE 10, PCB 30, HCB 1, Lindan 8 and mercury 50 ppb. Of chlordane residues only traces of oxychlordane were found. Ten different chlorophenol compounds were detected at ppb levels, but most of them in only few samples. Pentachlorophenol was most frequently found. Statistical treatment of the analysis results gave some decreasing trends which were very significant for DDE, DDT and PCB 1967–1983, significant for mercury 1967–1983 and somewhat significant for lindane 1978–1983.

Estimation of the environmental hazard of organochlorines in pulp mill biosludge used as soil fertilizer

Abstract Contents of total organic chlorine and polychlorinated phenols, guaiacols, catechols, benzenes, cymenes, cymenenes, naphthalenes, toxic dibenzodioxins, toxic dibenzofurans, toxic PCB congener 77, alkylated dibenzofurans, alkylated bibenzyls and alkylated phenanthrenes in spent biosludges from activated sludge treatment plants of chlorobleaching kraft pulp mills are reported. Some estimations of hazard caused by these organochlorines to humans and wildlife from the use of biosludge as soil fertilizer are constructed and discussed.

PCB in recycled paper products

PCB mixtures occur in amounts of 5 to 6000 ppb in paper products made of recycled material. Contents in samples made from Central-European raw material were higher than those from Finnish material. However, the origin of some samples with high contents remained unknown.