&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4305T
EPA-823-F-05-012
October 2005
Fact Sheet: 2005 Update
The National Study of Chemical Residues in Lake Fish Tissue
Summary
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is conducting a national freshwater fish
contamination survey to estimate the national distribution of selected persistent,
bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals in fish tissue from lakes and reservoirs of the contiguous
United States (lower 48 states). This study will provide the first national estimates of mean
concentrations of 268 chemicals in lake fish, define a national baseline to track progress of
pollution control activities, and identify areas where contaminant levels are high enough to
warrant further investigation.
Background
Monitoring fish for chemical contamination
in lakes and reservoirs is a critical activity
for protecting human health because these
areas are important for sport fishing and
other recreational activities. The 2004
update to EPA's National Listing of Fish and
Wildlife Advisories reports that 35% of the
Nation's lake acres are under fish
consumption advisories.
Lakes and reservoirs occur in a variety of
landscapes and can receive contaminants
from several sources, including direct
discharges into the water, air deposition,
and agricultural or urban runoff. Lakes are
the focus of this study because they are
environments where contamination
accumulates and is more readily detectable.
EPA initiated the National Study of
Chemical Residues in Lake Fish Tissue (or
National Lake Fish Tissue Study) in 1998 as
a priority activity under the Agency's
Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic
(PBT) Chemical Program. It supports the
PBT Program by providing data for a large
set of chemicals in fish that could affect the
health of people and wildlife that eat fish
from these environments.
Why is this study important?
The National Lake Fish Tissue Study is
important because it:
+ Allows EPA for the first time to
develop national estimates of the
mean levels of persistent,
bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals
in lake fish.
+ Provides a national baseline for
tracking reductions of persistent,
bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals
in freshwater fish as a result of
pollution control activities.
What are the basic elements of
the study design?
EPA worked with partner agencies over a
four-year period (2000-2003) to collect fish
from 500 lakes and reservoirs selected
randomly from the estimated 147,000 target
lakes and reservoirs in the lower 48 states.
The lakes are divided into 6 size categories,
ranging from 2.5 to over 900,000 surface
acres, with a similar number of lakes in
each category. Before sampling, field
teams verified that each lake is a permanent
body of water with a depth of at least one
meter.
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Sampling teams applied consistent methods
nationwide to collect composites of one
predator species and one bottom-dwelling
species at each lake. Composites
consisted of 5 adult fish of similar size that
were large enough to provide 560 grams
(20 ounces) of tissue for analysis of fillets
for predators and whole bodies for bottom
dwellers. EPA analyzed each composite for
268 chemicals (including PCB congeners)
and added PBDE analysis for fourth year
fish samples only.
500 Sampling Locations
What chemicals did EPA select
for the study?
EPA analyzed the fish tissue for:
-0- 2 metals (mercury and 5 forms
of arsenic)
-0- 17 dioxins and furans
-0- 159 PCB congener measurements
-0- 46 pesticides
-0- 40 other organics (e.g., phenols)
-0- 46 PBDE congeners (1 year only)
Who is participating in the
study?
EPA formed a national network of partners
to evaluate lakes and collect fish for the
study, including:
4- 47 States
•0- 3 Tribes
-0- National Park Service and
Tennessee Valley Authority
What are the key study
accomplishments and
milestones?
The study consists of four phases:
Planning (1998-1999)
• study design development
• statistical lake selection
• target chemical selection
Mobilization (1999-2000)
• orientation workshops
• production of quality assurance
plans and field sampling plan
• lake reconnaissance
Sampling and Tissue Analysis (2000-2005)
• sampling of 500 lakes through 2003
• chemical analysis of 1003 fish
samples through 2005
• chemical analysis of 352 fish
samples for PBDEs in 2005
Data Analysis and Reporting (2005-2006)
> statistical analysis of fish tissue data
> production of final report
> data upload into EPA's STORET
What results are currently
available?
Quality-assured results from all 500 lakes
sampled during 2000 through 2003 are now
available. To obtain these results on CDs,
see contact information below.
Who do I contact for more
information?
Leanne Stahl
OW/OST (4305T)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 566-0404
stahl.leanne@epa.gov
Visit the Fish Study website at:
www. epa. gov/waterscience/f ishstudy/
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