Hudson River Pcb Contamination Effects
How do we measure mink populations.
Hudson river pcb contamination effects. General electric was one company that used pcbs for these purposes. Pcb contamination is considered the most serious environmental problem affecting the hudson river. Pcb levels in fish were often 10 or more times the u s. This five year review is a statutory review and will review the remedial action at the remnant deposit sites as well as the remedy currently being implemented for the upper hudson river sediments.
The nrda will assess the damages caused by the pcbs that may be compensated whether monetarily or through restoration projects by ge. Pcbs were found in all prey tissue samples. Some adverse effects of pcbs on fish include impaired reproductive endocrine and immune system function increased lesions and tumors and death. Sediments of the upper hudson river as well as mna2 of pcb contamination that remain in the river after dredging.
Pcbs can have toxic effects on mink including adverse effects on their reproduction. Pcbs or polychlorinated biphenyls were used by many industries as insulation fluids in capacitors transformers and electrical systems. However very few studies have assessed whether the pcb contamination in the hudson river is harming hudson river fish. Dumped an estimated 1 3 million.
The data demonstrate that mink prey along the upper hudson river downstream of the former general electric plants are contaminated with pcbs. It is important to note that the hudson river natural resource damage assessment nrda a process that evaluates environmental damage and injuries associated with the ge pcb contamination is ongoing. Studies have documented high levels of pcbs in hudson river fish. The information in this report demonstrates that high levels of pcb contamination have existed for decades in the hudson river ecosystem.
Mink consuming those contaminated food items would be exposed to pcbs. Food and drug administration s fda standards for safe consumption p. The report further documents decades of high levels of pcbs and likely harmful effects on living organisms exposed to the contamination in the hudson river. From 1947 to 1977 general electric co.
The hudson river pcb polychlorinated biphenyls cleanup is one of the largest environmental cleanups in modern history.