Uptake of Chlorinated Organics from Anthropogenically Contaminated Sediments by Oligochaete Worms

Abstract

Oligochaete worms, mainly Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri and Tubifex tubifex, were exposed to "naturally" contaminated sediments from Lake Ontario for 110 d in laboratory aquariums. The worms accumulated many of the 24 chlorinated chemicals studied and for most compounds, concentration factors (CF's) continued to increase over the 110-d study period. The mixture of chemicals found in the worms differed considerably from that in the sediments because of large variations in CF's between chemicals. For instance, several individual PCB congeners were studied and found to have different CF's. Smaller differences in CF's for individual chemicals were due to different sediment types and to different worm sizes. The relationship between CF and octanol–water partition coefficient of the chemicals was complex.