Estimation of the Distribution of PCBs in the Environment
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were manufactured as a liquid transformer oil. Due to leakage, PCBs are now found throughout the environment, and this long-lived chemical represents a health hazard. PCBs have been found to be present in the St. Lawrence River at concentrations of about 0.3 ppb (parts per billion by weight). Estimate the likely concentration of PCBs in fish in this river. The average octanol-water partition coefficient for PCBs is
\log _{10} K_{ OW , PCB }=5.5