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The San Francisco Estuary Regional Monitoring Program for Trace Substances (RMP) was established in 1992 to assess chemical contamination in water, sediment, and biota in the Estuary and assist the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) in evaluating the effectiveness of its water quality programs in protecting beneficial uses. The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) administers the RMP, which is funded by contributions from permit holders from eighty-three public and private organizations that discharge treated wastewater, cooling water, and urban runoff.

PCB concentrations in sediment from RMP monitoring between 1993 and 1999 were used in this study. Data are available from RMP annual reports and data tables at the SFEI/RMP website.

Methods of quality assurance/quality control for sample collection and analysis were conducted in accordance with the Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Regional Monitoring Program for Trace Substances. PCB concentrations represent the sum of 40 individual PCB congeners measured by the RMP: PCB 8, 18, 28, 31, 33, 44, 49, 52, 56, 60, 66, 70, 74, 87, 95, 97, 99, 101, 105, 110, 118, 128, 132, 138, 141, 149, 151, 153, 156, 158, 170, 174, 177, 180, 183, 187, 194, 200, 201, 203.