Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Profiling of Alaskan Pink Salmon

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Profiling of Alaskan Pink Salmon

Alvin Sherman Library

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxins that bioaccumulate in the environment and are resistant to degradation. Of the POPs, there are 209 congeners each of either polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), contributing to human detriment and dysfunction to vital organs in the human body. Individual POPs have been completely banned by the 2004 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, however, levels have remained consistent over the years. The pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) samples used in this study are acquired from three different river locations: Hilda Creek, Salmon River, and Sheep Creek. Hilda Creek is in a conserved estuarine flat, while the waterways of Salmon River and Sheep Creek are located in more developed areas. The aim of the study is to elucidate the types and concentrations of polychlorinated and polybrominated POPs present in the pink salmon samples. Additionally, this project aims to perform a comparative analysis between the various POP concentrations in the three locations the salmon samples originate from. The samples were dried prior to testing and lipid-content analysis was performed. To determine POP content, salmon muscle samples underwent acid digestion followed by organic liquid-liquid extractions. Collected organic solvent layers were dried and concentrated using solid phase extraction (SPE) columns. The extracted samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify and characterize the POPs present. The collected data were analyzed with the goal of establishing a comprehensive understanding of the presence and distribution of POPs in pink salmon sourced from different geographical locations.