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Title: NONYLPHENOL AND NONYLPHENOL-ETHOXYLATES IN CARP, WATER, AND SEDIMENT SAMPLES FROM CUYAHOGA RIVER

Author
item Rice, Clifford
item SCHMITZ-AFONSO, ISABELLE - USDA/FAS
item LOYO-ROSALES, JORGE - UNIV. OF MARYLAND
item Camp, Mary

Submitted to: Final Project Report to Ohio EPA
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2002
Publication Date: 11/20/2002
Citation: Rice, C., Schmitz-Afonso, I., Loyo-Rosales, J.E., Camp, M.J. 2002. Nonylphenol and nonylphenol-ethoxylates in carp, water, and sediment samples from Cuyahoga River. Final Project Report to Ohio EPA. November 2002.

Interpretive Summary: The Cuyahoga River, Ohio, is known for its problems with pollution. Restoration of fisheries has long been difficult, especially in industrial areas near Akron and Cleveland. A study of the occurrence of alkylphenol and alkylphenol ethoxylates, a group of known endocrine disrupters, in this river system revealed that high levels of total APEs (NP 0 to 2 EO) occur in carp starting at the WWTP in Akron and continues to the river mouth near Cleveland, e.g., 0.9 to 0.46 ppm wet weight, respectively. The highest levels of total water concentrations of APEs were also noted near the Akron WWTP plant outfall. Maximum sediment concentrations occurred in the Cleveland area (1.0 ppm dry weight). The sediment concentrations were moderate throughout the entire 84 miles length of the river ranging from 0.2 to1.0 ppm. Higher ethoxymers (6 to 17-ethoxy substituted forms) were detected in these samples, suggesting raw sewage sources that were accumulating before degradative removal could occur. The presence of high levels of 3-ethoxymers in the water near the Akron WWTP outfall also suggests raw sewage sources. Twelve carp (6 male and 6 females) were analyzed at each of the six sampling sites. This allowed the following observations: Male fish at the Akron WWTP site had unusually high lipid concentrations, 13.4% vs. 8.3 % normally. Also there was a significantly higher accumulation of total NPEs in female fish versus males near the city of Kent and lipids were high in both males and females here, 12.4%.

Technical Abstract: A study of the occurrence of alkylphenol and alkylphenol ethoxylates in the Cuyahoga, Ohio, river system revealed that high levels of total APEs (NP 0 to 2 EO) occur in carp starting at the Akron WWTP and continues to the river mouth near Cleveland, e.g., 0.9 to 0.46 ppm wet weight, respectively. The highest total water concentrations of APEs were also noted at the Akron WWTP plant outfall. Maximum sediment concentrations occurred in the Cleveland area (1.0 ppm dry weight). Sediment concentrations were moderate throughout the entire 84-miles length of the river ranging from 0.2 to1.0 ppm. Higher ethoxymers (6- 17 ethoxy- substituted forms) were detected in these samples, suggesting raw sewage sources were accumulating before degradative removal could occur. The presence of high levels of 3-ethoxymers in the water near the Akron WWTP outfall also suggests raw sewage sources. Usually 12 carp (6 male and 6 females) were analyzed at each of the six sampling sites. This allowed the following observations: male fish at the Akron WWTP site had unusually high lipid concentrations, 13.4% vs. 8.3 % for normal levels. Also there was a significantly higher accumulation of total NPEs in female fish versus males near the city of Kent and lipids were high in both males and females here, 12.4%.