Abstract
The concentrations of several organochlorine compounds and two phthalates, di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), were measured in sediment, clams and Neanthes virens obtained from Portland, Maine. The concentrations in sediment ranked as follows: DEHP ⪢ DBP > PCBs ⪢ ∑DDT > chlordane > pentachorophenol (PCP) > α-hexachlorocyclohexane ∼ hexachlorobenzene. Except for a reversal of PCP and chlordane, the same order was observed in biota. Adsorption of the pollutants onto sediment seemed to protect the biota since the bioconcentration factors for chlordane, DBP and DEHP were less than one; i.e., concentrations in tissue were lower than those in sediment. For the other five compounds there was a very low level of bioconcentration (1.0 to 150 fold). The results of this study are compared to values reported for other sites. This study is part of a program to develop methods for monitoring the biological effects of marine pollution and test these methods in the field.
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