Exploring the Presence of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Muscle Tissue of Various Alaskan Salmon Species

Exploring the Presence of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Muscle Tissue of Various Alaskan Salmon Species

Alvin Sherman Library

Alaska supplies 60% of the fish consumed in the United States; therefore, determining the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish sourced from that area is critical. POPs are chemical compounds that are classified as one of 209 congeners of either polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). They resist degradation and contribute to a range of harmful effects to both humans and wildlife, such as cancers and birth defects. Their introduction into the environment stemmed from their industrial and agricultural usage. However, despite being banned by the Stockholm Convention in 2004, they continue to be present in the environment via atmospheric and water cycles. The primary aim of this project is to quantify the presence of POPs in Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), all caught from the waterways of Juneau and Gustavus, AK. The muscles tissue samples used in this experiment were obtained from the following locations: Bullion Creek, Sheep Creek, Hilda Creek, and Salmon River, which have varying levels of geographic elevation and human impact. The study's secondary aim is to perform a comparative analysis of POP concentration levels, seeking to identify a relationship between geographic location and species specificity. The muscle tissue samples will be prepared for POP extraction through acidic digestion followed by liquid-liquid organic solvent extraction methods. The collected organic layers will then be put through solid phase extraction (SPE) columns to be dried and concentrated. All trials will be performed in triplicates, and lipid content will be determined. Finally, the extracted samples will be analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The collected GC-MS data will be used to identify potential trends among the three species across different locations and to determine whether any correlations exist. These findings will enhance our understanding of POP bioaccumulation across different regions and its potential impacts on both human and animal health.