Monitoring chemical contaminants in the Gulf of Maine, using sediments and mussels (Mytilus edulis): An evaluation
Marine Pollution Bulletin
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Abstract
The objective of this paper is to determine whether contaminant data on mussels and sediments can be used interchangeably, or not, when assessing the degree of anthropogenic contamination of a water body. To obtain adequate coverage of the entire Gulf of Maine, Bay of Fundy sediment samples were collected, analyzed and combined with similar data from four coastal monitoring programs. This required careful interpretation but provided robust results consistent with published literature. A strong correspondence was found between sediment
and mussel concentrations for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, moderate to weak correspondence for polychlorinated biphenyls, and except for mercury and zinc, little to no correspondence was found for metals. We conclude that mussel contaminant data are likely sufficient for providing information on the spatial and temporal distribution of chemical contaminants, in coastal waters, under a broad range of environmental conditions
and contaminant levels, and unlike sediments, provide direct information on contaminant bioavailability.
Suggested Citation
Elskus, A., LeBlanc, L., Latimer, J.S., Page, D., Harding, G., and Wells, P.G., 2020, Monitoring chemical contaminants in the Gulf of Maine, using sediments and mussels (Mytilus edulis): An evaluation: Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 153, 110956, 9 p., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.110956.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Monitoring chemical contaminants in the Gulf of Maine, using sediments and mussels (Mytilus edulis): An evaluation |
| Series title | Marine Pollution Bulletin |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.110956 |
| Volume | 153 |
| Year Published | 2020 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Contributing office(s) | Leetown Science Center |
| Description | 110956, 9 p. |
| Country | United States |
| Other Geospatial | Gulf of Maine |