Bioaccumulation of PCB congeners by blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) deployed in New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1897/1552-8618(1993)12[1671:BOPCBB]2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:5596755

Bergen, B J ^[1]; Nelson, W G; Pruell, R J ^[2]

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1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI (United States). Environmental Research Lab., Science Applications International Corp.
2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI (United States). Environmental Research Lab.

Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) were deployed to monitor the levels of bioavailable contaminants during a pilot dredging project in New Bedford Harbor (NBH), Massachusetts. Dissolved and particulate seawater samples also were collected periodically during these deployments. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener concentrations in both mussel tissue and seawater samples were among the quantified contaminants. Large differences in the dissolved and particulate PCB concentrations in seawater and tissue residue concentrations in mussels were observed along a gradient from the upper harbor to Buzzards Bay. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were calculated for six PCB congenors at two stations in NBH and a reference site in Buzzards Bay. Equations were generated relating the log BCF to the log octanol/water partition coefficient (K[sub ow]) for these congeners. A consistent relationship was found between dissolved PCB congener concentrations and tissue concentrations in the mussels. This study demonstrates the utility of the blue mussel as a monitoring organism for quantifying bioavailable contaminants in seawater and for relating PCB tissue residues with seawater concentrations.

• OSTI ID: 5596755
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 12:9; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MASSACHUSETTS
WATER POLLUTION
MUSSELS
SENSITIVITY
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HARBORS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INVERTEBRATES
MOLLUSCS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology