Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls in the water column of the Laurentian Great Lakes: Spring 1993

PCB concentrations were measured in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America in the Spring of 1993. Quality control criteria were met for 97% of the dissolved phase samples and 90% of the particulate phase samples. Data are reported as total PCBs and as homolog groups for both of the operationally-defined phases at a 0.7 mu M cutoff Detection limit estimates were 21 pg/L for dissolved phase and 23 pg/L for particulate phase total PCBs, based on a sample volume of 190 L. Total PCB concentrations ranged from 100 pg/L in Lake Superior to 1.6 ng/L in the western basin of Lake Erie. Lakes Michigan and Ontario had the highest lakewide average total PCB concentrations, followed by Lake Huron, and then Lake Superior. Lakewide averaging across the three basins of Lake Erie was too variable to be useful.