Influence of Feeding Ecology on Legacy Organochlorine Contaminants in Freshwater Fishes of Lake Erie.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in biota are influenced by ecological, physiological, and physicochemical properties; however, there is a need for a better understanding about the interplay of these parameters on POP dynamics and fate. To address this, POPs in three Lake Erie freshwater fishes (freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens; walleye, Sander vitreus; and white perch, Morone americana) with different feeding ecologies were assessed using life history characteristics and three stable isotopes (δ C, δ N, and δ S). Lipid normalized POP concentrations were in the range of past studies and were generally similar among the three species when all ages were combined.