U.S. "Mussel Watch" 1976-1978: an overview of the trace-metal, DDE, PCB, hydrocarbon and artificial radionuclide data

Abstract

Data are presented for trace metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), aromatic hydrocarbons and 239'240Pu in Mytilus edulis, M. calif ornianus, and Crassostrea sp. colected in the U.S. Mussel Watch program in 1976 from 62 locations on the U.S. east and west coasts. General similarities in geographical distributions of concentrations were present in all 3 years with at least an order of magnitude elevation of concentrations of Pb, PCBs, and fossil fuel hydrocarbons in bivalves sampled near the larger urban areas. Elevated Cd and ^'^Pu concentrations in bivalves from the central California coast are apparently related to enrichments of Cd and nuclear weapons testing fallout 239'240Pu in intermediate depth water of the North Pacific and upwelling of this water associated with the California Current system. Our data have revealed no evidence of local or regional systematic elevations of environmental concentrations of 239'240Pu as a result of effluent releases from nuclear power reactors.

Determination of Hydrocarbons in Bivalves from the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast

“…It is well established that aquatic bivalves are the final accumulation site of water-borne constituents derived from natural sources (living organisms and their detritus) in situ, surroundings, and artificial (domestic, urban-industrial and agricultural wastes) sources. Molluscs have been used for monitoring contaminants in the environment (FARRINGTON et al, 1983) n-Alkanes in the range of C12 to C40 are present in most samples, the concentration of twenty detected alkanes in bivalve tissue (Table 1) lays in the range 4.5 ng g -1 at station No. 16 (Port Said West) to 850 ng g -1 at station No.…”

Spatial and temporal distributions of contaminant body burden and disease in Gulf of Mexico oyster populations: The role of local and large-scale climatic controls

“…Explaining the temporal and spatial variation in contaminant body burdens is comphcated because body burden may be affected by so many environmental and biological factors (Farrington et al, 1983). Oysters can incorporate metal and organic contaminants either through direct absorption from water or ingestion with food particles (Ehrhardt, 1972;Stegeman & Teal, 1973).…”

Metals in molluscs and associated bottom sediments of the southern baltic

“…The ability of marine mussels to biologically incorporat9 trace metals in their tissues has been well estabhshed; most of the studies have been carried out on the soft tissue (Amiard et al, 1986;Bloom & Ayling, 1977;Bryan, 1980Bryan, , 1983Coleman et al, 1986;Cossa et al, 1979;Davies & Pirie, 1980;Di Giulio & Scanlon, 1985;Farrington et al, 1983;Galloway et al, 1983;Gault et al, 1983;Goldberg, 1975;Goldberg et al, 1978Goldberg et al, , 1983Hung et al, 1981Hung et al, , 1983Johnson & D'Auria, 1980;Julshamn, 1981;Karbe et al, 1977;Langston, 1986;Martinci~ et al, 1984;M6ller et al, 1983;Phillips, 1976aPhillips, , 1976bPhillips, , 1977bPhillips, , I977c, 1978Popham & D'Auria, 1983a, 1983bRitz et al, 1982;Segar et al, 1971;Slabyj & Carpenter, 1977;Szefer, 1986;Szefer & Szefer, 1985;Szefer & Wenne, 1987). However, the number of articles on the concentration or distribution of metals in shell material, particularly relating the metal concentration in the soft tissue to that in the shell is scanty (A1- Dabbas et al, 1984;Bertine & Goldberg, 1972;Carriker et al, 1980bCarriker et al, , 1982Chow et al, 1976;Ferrell et al, 1973;<...>…”