Predicting the bioaccumulation of organic compounds in marine organisms using octanol/water partition coefficients

Sediments and animals collected from near the discharge zone of the Los Angeles County wastewater treatment plant were analysed for 27 selected organic compounds that had been identified in the effluent. It was found that the sediment and tissue concentrations of these organic compounds were positively correlated with each other and with the n-octanol/water partition coefficient but that these were negatively correlated with the effluent concentration. It was concluded that n-octanol/water partition coefficients should be used to predict which organics have the potential to bioaccumulate and therefore cause biological effects.