PCBs in tissue of fish from the Spokane River, Washington, 1999

Several studies over the past 6 years have indicated that elevated concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Spokane River, Washington, are a potential hazard to human and aquatic health. To help address these concerns, fish were collected from the Spokane River in 1999 and analyzed for PCBs for a cooperative study by the U.S. Geological Survey (as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program) and the Washington State Department of Ecology. This Fact Sheet summarizes comparisons of PCB concentrations in fish tissue recommended by national criteria with concentrations in fish tissue analyzed for this 1999 cooperative study and for previous studies.