Concentrations of organic contaminants in Mytilus edulis from the Hudson-Raritan Estuary and Long Island Sound

Abstract

In this paper, we present the findings of 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-ring polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), selected polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, the pesticide DDT and its degradation products, and the marine paint antifouling agent tributyltin (TBT), in the tissues of Mytilus edulis collected from 10 sites in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary and 10 sites in Long Island Sound. In the estuary, contaminant concentrations were highest in the Upper Bay, and systematically decreased moving south and east into the New York Bight. Near equal distributions of tetra-, penta-, and hexa-chlorinated PCBs in the Upper Bay systematically shifted to a composition dominated by more heavily chlorinated PCBs in the New York Bight. In Long Island Sound, contaminant concentrations were highest in the heavily populated southwest region of the Sound, while the lowest bivalve contaminant levels were observed near the eastern-most tip of Long Island. PAH distributions generally were reminiscent of complex mixtures of combustion products and refined fuel products. PCB congener distributions exhibited similar changes in composition as those observed in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary.