Survey for Hexachloro-1,3-butadiene in Fish, Eggs, Milk, and Vegetables

Eighty-four samples (fish, milk, eggs, vegetables) were collected from within a 25 mile radius of 10 perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene manufacturing plant sites and analyzed for hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD) by a gas chromatographic method. Residues of HCBD were found mainly in freshwater fish caught in the lower Mississippi River. The levels ranged from 0.01 to 1.2 ppm. Two of the 20 saltwater fish contained residues of 0.01 and 0.02 ppm. No HCBD residues were found in eggs and vegetables. One of 20 milk samples contained 1.32 ppm HCBD.