EFFECTS OF PCB CONTAMINATION:

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
• Affect the groundwater resource of the village of Stillwater Well Field, in Saratoga County
• Affect the living resources at every level of the Hudson's aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland – based food chains.
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: THE HUDSON RIVER PCB CONTAMINATION
• Posing potential health threat to human consumers of fish and other organisms that inhabit the river and the
surrounding area.

HUDSON RIVER PCB CONTAMINATION - The Hudson River is a 315- mile (507 km) river that flows from north to south • Contamination of aquatic insects, mussels and other invertebrates that live in the sediment.
primarily through eastern New York in the United States. (distance between Legazpi and Manila is 486 km)
• Deposition of PCBs onto the river's banks can potentially led to very high levels of toxic chemicals that can cause serious
diseases to humans and animals.
Between 1946 and 1977 (31 years), General Electric Company (GE) legally discharged an estimated 500,000 kg of
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the river from its factories in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward.

RECOMMENDED SOLUTION:
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS:
• Determine the sources of PCB contamination, taking particular consideration to industrial

• (PCBs) were once widely deployed as dielectric and coolant fluids in electrical apparatus, carbonless copy paper and in • discharges, inappropriate disposal methods, and possible runoff routes.
heat transfer fluids. • Adhere strictly to regulatory norms and regulations for PCBs in the soil. Collaborate with

• PCBs were found to cause cancer in laboratory animals and were shown to trigger other serious health problems • regulatory organizations to develop and implement comprehensive strategies to reduce PCB
including a. Low birth weight b. Thyroid problems c. Mental abnormalities d. Reproductive disorders e. Immunological • discharges and encourage appropriate waste management.
problems.
• Assess sites thoroughly to determine the level of PCB contamination in groundwater. Establish
• In 1977, GE stopped releasing PCBs into the river but the seepage from the river bottom continues. • routine monitoring to keep monitoring on modifications and evaluate the effectiveness of
• preventative measures.
• February 2002 – US Environmental Protection Agency advised the implementation of the most expensive river cleanup • To prevent PCBs from spreading deeper into groundwater, implement physical barriers or
in the US history amounting to $460M. This project aimed to remove 2 million metric tons of contaminated sediment
from a 40-mile distance downstream from the main source. • containment techniques. This could entail the installation of impermeable barriers or
• groundwater extraction equipment.
• Investigate on-site remediation techniques to treat PCB contamination in groundwater
HUDSON RIVER PCB CONTAMINATION: The Hudson River PCB Contamination case is a watershed environmental event that • directly without extracting it, such as chemical oxidation or enhanced bioremediation.
occurred over several decades, emphasizing the complicated interaction of industrial processes, adverse environmental
effects, and public health issues. This study focuses on the widespread contamination of the Hudson River in New York State, • Engage in community education and outreach programs to inform local residents about the
which is mostly caused by the release of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the water.
• risks of PCB contamination, preventive measures, and ongoing remediation efforts.
• Encourage community involvement in monitoring and reporting

WHAT IS PCB CONTAMINATION? Polychlorinated Biphenyls or PCBs are synthetically produced chemical compounds that • Developing technologies to address the hotspots of exposure
have been extensively utilized in several industrial applications, such as electrical equipment and hydraulic systems. Because • Adding activated carbon to bind up PCBs in contaminated sediments
of its considerable negative impacts on human health and ecosystems, PCB manufacture was outlawed in the United States
in 1979 under the Toxic Substance Control Act. • Bioremediation of bacteria