International Mussel Watch Project. Initial implementation phase. Final report. Coastal chemical contaminant monitoring using bivalves. Technical memo

Technical Report · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:273210

Farrington, J W; Tripp, B W

The objective International Mussel Watch is to assess the extent of chemical contamination in the equatorial and subequatorial areas of the southern hemisphere with particular attention to coastal areas of developing countries. The First Phase took place in South America, Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico with particular emphasis on PCBs and chlorinated pesticides in mollusks collected at 76 sites in 1991 to 1992. Samples from some sites were also analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Results show that concentrations of these organic chemicals in mollusks were generally lower than in similar samples collected in the NOAA Mussel Watch Project in the United States. Relatively high levels found in urban areas were with the ranges of concentrations found in the United States. The Project included a chemical intercomparison exercise that involved analytical chemists from the Host Countries.

• Research Organization: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA (United States). Coastal Research Center
• OSTI ID: 273210
• Report Number(s): PB-96-186887/XAB; TRN: 62122642
• Resource Relation: Other Information: DN: See also PB--93-109130; PBD: May 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
MUSSELS
BIOASSAY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CHEMICAL SPILLS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
WATER POLLUTION
OIL SPILLS
SEDIMENTS
FIELD TESTS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS