Route 31 Sludge Disposal Site Fish Tissue Sampling and Fish Consumption Advisory Recommendations for the Musconetcong River

Abstract

Project Summary: Resident and hatchery raised fish were collected from three sites along the Musconetcong River. Two sites were located near the confluence of two tributaries affected by the Rt 31 Sludge Disposal Site, an area known to have historical contamination from per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), while a third site in the Point Mountain Trout Conservation Area served as a reference location. Fillet samples from the collected fish were tested for contaminants known to cause fish consumption advisories: PFAS, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and mercury (Hg). Rainbow trout sampled directly from the Pequest trout hatchery had the lowest concentrations of contaminants compared to resident fish. PFOS concentrations result in the strictist advisory recommendations for all fish cohorts tested. Rainbow trout captured in the wild also had significantly lower concentrations of PFOS tested than resident fish at each site. Other PFAS, Hg, and PCB results were negligible for advisory calculations when compared to PFOS results.