Targeted EPA Fish Tissue Contamination Studies
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigates the presence of chemicals in fish for which the risk to human health and the environment is unknown. These include contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, perfluorinated compounds (used in a wide variety of household and industrial products) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (widely used as flame retardants).
For more information about what the EPA is doing to improve our understanding on a number of contaminants in addition to the fish tissue studies associated with the National Aquatic Resource Surveys, refer to the following fact sheets and studies.
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl compounds or PFAS (formerly called perfluorinated compounds or PFCs)
Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs)
The EPA initiated a pilot study of PPCPs in fish tissue in 2006. This study investigated the occurrence of PPCP chemicals in fish tissue at several stream locations across the country. The EPA partnered with Baylor University to conduct the study from 2006‐2008 and to publish the study results in 2009. Read the final report, fact sheet, Quality Assurance Report, and Quality Assurance Project Plans.
Mercury and Selenium
The EPA collected and analyzed fish during 2007-2008 to assess levels of mercury at 95 randomly selected mercury advisory sites within the continental United States using a statistically based, regionally stratified design, where sites represented all major regions of the country. Methods established in the EPA’s Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories were used to collect and analyze fish fillet tissue for total mercury. Site samples comprise three composites of five fish per composite. Total selenium was also measured and is included in the dataset.