| The purpose of this project was to determine the concentration and distribution pattern of PCB congeners and homologs in fish species: carp, chinook salmon, lake trout (siscowets), walleye, and white bass. These were harvested from Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. The fish were processed into skin-on and skin-off fillets and deep fat fried, pan fried, baked, charbroiled, salt boiled, smoked and canned. The effect of food processing--trimming, skin removal and cooking--on the reduction of total PCBs and their homologs was evaluated. Physical parameters of the fish-length, weight, age and sex--were measured. An average of 50% of lipid content and 10% of total fish weight was eliminated from raw fish fillets through skin removal procedure. The results showed that skin removal, fat trimming, and the cooking process did not alter the distribution patterns of PCB congeners. Prominent congeners 87, 158, 66/95/121, 42, 84/101 and 118 were observed in both skin-on and skin-off carp fillets. PCB homologs grouped by chlorination for the Great Lake s fish had a distribution pattern similar to Aroclor... |
