TRACE METALS MONITORING AT TWO OCEAN DISPOSAL SITES

• Main Author: Bruce H. Reynolds
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Ocean quahog
• Online Access: http://oaspub.epa.gov/eims/eimsapi.dispdetail?deid=35796

The areal distributions of the concentration of cadmium, copper, nickel, and vanadium in sea scallop and ocean quahog tissue were examined in the vicinity of two ocean disposal sites located off the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast on four cruises conducted in 1974 and 1975. Incidental collections of the surf clams were also made on the last cruise. Patterns of meals distribution show that (1) these metals may be used as identification tags for the individual types of wastes disposed at the two sites; (2) the distribution patterns of the metals content in shellfish may be explained to a large extent by the regional current patterns; and (3) the known toxicity of the wastes plus the demonstrated biological availability of the metals contained therein, coupled with the existence of an abundant literature documenting their toxicity in general, indicate that the wastes pose a significant threat to marine biota in the vicinity of these disposal sites.