Contaminants monitored

The TBiOS team measures a wide range of toxic contaminants across a broad group of organisms, including Pacific herring, English sole, blue mussels, and Pacific salmon.  Below is a list of contaminant groups we typically monitor in Puget Sound.

Contaminants Currently Monitored
Group NameAnalytesTypical Biota Monitored
Persistent Organic Pollutants11 Polybrominated diphenylethers or PBDEsfish and invertebrates
Persistent Organic Pollutants40 Polychlorinated Biphenyls or PCBsfish and invertebrates
Organochlorine PesticidesDDTs, DDDs, DDEs, chlordanes, hexachlorocyclohexanes, hexachlorobenzene, Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endosulfan I, and Mirexfish and invertebrates
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons42 PAHsinvertebrates
Polycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsMetabolites of PAHsfish bile
Inorganic MetalsMercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, zinc, copper, chromiumfish and mussels

 

Contaminants of Emerging Concern (newly developed or employed analyses, or analyses being developed)
Group NameAnalytesTypical Biota Monitored
Estrogenic compoundsBisphenols, synthetic and natural estrogensfish and mussels
Pharmeceuticals and Personal Care Products142 compoundsfish and mussels
Perfluorinated Chemicals13 compounds including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)fish and mussels
Alkylphenols4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-n-octylphenol (OP), 4-nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO) and 4-nonylphenyl diethoxylate (NP2EO)fish and mussels
Current Use PesticidesOrganochlorine, organophosphorus, organonitrogen, triazine, and pyrethroid pesticidesfish and mussels