AN EXAMINATION OF THE PCB-LIPID RELATIONSHIP AMONG INDIVIDUAL FISH

We examined data from 1984 to 1994 for five species of lake Michigan s almonids to explore the relationship between total PCB concentration a nd percent lipid. When we compared mean species lipid and PCB values, we found a strong linear correlation. When we compared values among in dividuals, we found modest positive PCB:lipid associations in brown tr out (Salmo trutta), chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho sa lmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) c ollected during spawning, but positive associations were not apparent among nonspawning individuals. Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) exhib ited no discernible PCB:lipid relationship. Our results are not incomp atible with previous observations that contaminants are differentially partitioned into lipids within a fish, but these results do suggest t hat lipids are not a major factor influencing contaminant uptake.