Hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and DDE in mussels and oysters from the U.S. Coast - 1965-1978 - the mussel watch

Abstract

Mytilus edulis, Mytilus californianus, Crassostrea virginica and Ostrea equestris were sampled at 90 to 100 stations around the United States coastline during each of three years- 1976, 1977, 1978. Data for concentrations of PCB, DDE, total hydrocarbons, gas chromatographically unresolved complex mixture hydrocarbons, and selected aromatic hydrocarbons are presented for most of the samples. Similar data for monthly samples of Mytilus edulis from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, U.S.A. and Mytilus californianus from Bodega Head, California, U.S.A. and laboratory intercalibrations are presented and discussed. Monthly temporal changes of factors of two to ten were found for ·organic pollutants in mussels from the Narragansett Bay station. Concentrations of PCBs and fossil fuel hydrocarbons for some urban stations were one to two orders of magnitude higher than those in remote areas. The northeast "megapolis" of the U.S. coast from the Chesapeake Bay area to Boston, Massachusetts clearly shows elevated concentrations of PCBs and fossil fuel hydrocarbons. The composition of aromatic hydrocarbons in samples with elevated concentrations shows both the influence of oil spill or chronic oil inputs and pyrogenic sources.