Baseline monitoring of contaminant concentrations in American lobster (Homarus americanus) tissues from coastal Northumberland Strait, Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

A baseline survey was conducted in 2018 to characterize contaminants in American lobsters, Homarus americanus in the Northumberland Strait, Canada. Sampling included three age classes of lobsters at sites 4, 20, and 70 km from the Boat Harbour estuary, a historically contaminated site set to undergo remediation. Lobster tissues were measured for metal(loids), methylmercury, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furans. Contaminant concentrations were generally below the guidelines set by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, except for arsenic which was elevated in all age classes from all sites (4.8–12.68 mg kg−1). Mercury and methylmercury (both ~0.04 mg kg−1) minimally exceeded one guideline in some age-classes and sites. There was also no consistent pattern of contaminant accumulation across either age classes or at particular sites. This study serves as a baseline for future monitoring following remediation of Boat Harbour.