Question

The maximum level of PCBs legally allowed in fish sold is 2.00 ppm. If a fish is found to contain 5.02 mg of PCBs, what is the minimum mass that the fish would have to be in order to be safe to eat?

Answer 1

The minimum mass of a fish to be safe for consumption with 5.02 mg of PCBs, using the legal limit of 2.00 ppm, is calculated to be 2.510 kg.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks for the minimum mass of a fish that would be safe to eat if it contains 5.02 mg of PCBs, given that the legal limit is 2.00 ppm. To calculate this, we use the formula:

Concentration (ppm) = (mass of substance (mg) / mass of sample (g)) × 106

First, we convert the concentration from ppm to mg/g:

2.00 ppm = 2.00 mg of PCBs per 1000 g of fish

Using cross-multiplication:

2.00 mg / 1000 g = 5.02 mg / x g

Where x is the mass of the fish in grams. Solving for x gives us:

x = (5.02 mg × 1000 g) / 2.00 mg

x = 2510 g or 2.510 kg

Therefore, the minimum mass of the fish required to have a PCB level of less than 2.00 ppm would be 2.510 kg.