ASSESSING RELEASE OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBS) AND OTHER CHEMICAL ELEMENTS ALONG THE UPPER SEGMENT OF HOUSATONIC RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS

The Housatonic River spans nearly 150 miles where it begins in Pittsfield, MA, through Connecticut to the Long Island Sound by New Haven, CT. For more than 100 years, the Housatonic River has been of recreational and industrial use. The General Electric (GE) main plant during the 1900’s was located adjacent to the Housatonic River. Illicit dumping of polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), a known organic contaminant, into the river over time has caused concerns of the usability of the river, as the contaminant can lead to a variety of potentially lethal disorders. This research work assessed the concentration and distribution of PCBs and other chemical elements within stream sediments along the upper reaches of Housatonic River from Pittsfield, MA (where GE plant was located) to the boundary of Massachusetts and Connecticut. A total of twenty (20) stream sediment and water samples were collected from October to December 2017. During sampling, basic physico-chemical parameter of water chemistry such as total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, and pH were determined. The anions content of the water samples were later analyzed using Shimadzu HPLC-IC. Results showed elevated chloride concentrations at all sites with a range of 42 to 157 ppm; and decreases from Pittsfield, MA to Massachusetts /Connecticut border. The sediments samples were air-dried, thoroughly homogenized and analyzed for both acid and soluble extractable, as well as PCBs concentrations. Results of this project provide timely information about the distribution and concentrations of PCBs, and other trace elements, as well as overall quality assessment, and usability of water from the upper segment of Housatonic River in Massachusetts