title: Regional assessment of persistent organic pollutants in resident mussels from New Jersey and New York estuaries following Hurricane Sandy.
abstract: Resident mussels are effective indicators of ecosystem health and have been utilized in national assessment and monitoring studies for over two decades. Mussels were chosen because contaminant concentrations in their tissues respond to changes in ambient environmental levels, accumulation occurs with little metabolic transformation and a substantial amount of historic data were available. Mussels were collected from 10 previously studied locations approximately a year after Hurricane Sandy. Regionally, concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) decreased significantly, while concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) remained unchanged, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) increased compared to historic concentrations. Although concentrations of PCBs, OCPs and PAHs were at or near record low concentrations, long-term trends did not change after Hurricane Sandy. To effectively measure storm-induced impacts it is necessary to understand the factors influencing changes in mussel body burdens and have a long-term monitoring network and an ability to mobilize post event.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey, New Jersey Water Science Center, Lawrenceville, NJ, United States. Electronic address: ksmall@usgs.gov.
authors.forename: Kelly L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Smalling
authors.affiliation: NOAA Fisheries, NEFSC, James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory at Sandy Hook, NJ, United States.
authors.forename: Ashok D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory, Wellsboro, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Heather S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Galbraith
authors.affiliation: NOAA Fisheries, NEFSC, James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory at Sandy Hook, NJ, United States.
authors.forename: Beth L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sharack
authors.affiliation: NOAA Fisheries, NEFSC, James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory at Sandy Hook, NJ, United States.
authors.forename: DeMond
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Timmons
authors.affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey, New Jersey Water Science Center, Lawrenceville, NJ, United States.
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000378:metabolism*; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009515:New Jersey; D009518:New York; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Chronology; Estuarine health; Hurricane Sandy; Mussel tissue; Persistent organic contaminants