compounds, and PAHs were quantified along with dioxins and furans. The 20 samples selected for 

 chemical analyses were chosen before the samples were collected. Samples were chosen to represent 

 suspected pollution gradients based upon data (especially from analyses of dioxins) from previous 

 studies. As expected from the results of the Phase 1 analyses, the sample from station 57 was sandy and 

 had very low concentrations of all substances. 



The concentration of cadmium was relatively low in the sample from station 57, a reference station in 

 upper New York Harbor (Figure 21). Also, the cadmium concentration was relatively low in the samples 

 from the Hackensack River and much of Newark Bay. In contrast, the cadmium concentrations in 

 many of the samples from the lower Passaic River were 4 to 6 ppm. In addition, the sample from 

 station 26 midway down Newark Bay had a cadmium concentration of 4.2 ppm. 



The concentrations of mercury in the Newark Bay samples followed a distributional pattern similar to 

 that of cadmium (Figure 22). Mercury concentrations were relatively low in the reference sample from 

 upper New York Harbor, in most of the samples from Newark Bay, in two of the Hackensack River 

 samples, and at the upstream station in the Passaic River. In contrast, mercury concentrations were 3- 

 5 ppm in samples from the lower Passaic River, a station in the Hackensack River in the vicinity of 

 Berry's Creek, and at station 26 midway down Newark Bay. At station 14 near Berry's Creek, the 

 mercury concentration was 4.3 ppm. 



The SEM/AVS ratios ranged from 0.07 to 2.85 and were less than 1.0 at all but three stations (Figure 

 23). The sample from station 1 in the Passaic River had the highest ratio, 2.85, followed by station 8 in 

 the lower Passaic River and station 56 in lower Newark Bay, in which the ratios were 1.02 and 1.04, 

 respectively. The total SEM concentrations were based upon sums of the Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn 

 concentrations. 



The concentrations of total PCBs ranged from 105 ng/g at station 57 in upper New York Harbor to 2318 

 ng/g at station 26 in Newark Bay and 2850 ng/g at station 3 in the lower Passaic River (Figure 24). 

 Total PCB concentrations exceeded 1,000 ng/g in all of the Passaic River stations except station 1. In 

 contrast, the concentrations of total PCBs ranged from 110 to 671 ng/g at the three stations in the 

 Hackensack River. 



The concentrations of 18 dioxins and furans were quantified by NBS. Also, the concentrations of four 

 co-planar PCBs were quantified. Based upon the toxicity equivalency factors (TEF) derived for mam- 

 malian systems by Kutz et al. (1990) for the dioxins and furans and by Barnes et al. (1991) for the co- 

 planar PCBs, the cumulative, total 2,3,7,8-tcdd toxicity equivalency quotients (TEQ) were calculated 

 and plotted (Figure 25). Total 2,3,7,8-tcdd TEQs ranged from 13 pg/g at station 57 in upper New York 

 Harbor to 874 pg/g at station 7c in the lower Passaic River. All samples except five from stations in the 

 Hackensack River and Newark Bay had concentrations of 100 pg/g or greater. In addition, sample 26 

 from Newark Bay had a concentration of 723 pg/g total TEQ. 



With funding provided to U.S. EPA Region 2 from the U.S. EPA Office of Science and Technology, the 

 concentrations of 17 dioxin and furan congeners were determined in an additional 35 samples. Twelve 

 samples were analyzed by Pacific Analytical, Inc. and the remaining 23 samples were analyzed by 

 Midwest Research Institute. Both laboratories prepared the samples and conducted the analyses in 

 accordance with EPA Method 1613. However, the comparability of the data from the NBS, Pacific 

 Analytical, Inc., and Midwest Research Institute laboratories was not determined. 



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