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(M/EH121) Arsenic Bioaccumulation in Oysters From the Southern Coasts of the USA. Valette-Silver, Nathalie1, Riedel, Gerald2, Van Dolah, Robert3, 1 2 3 ABSTRACT- Since 1986, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program, Mussel Watch Project (MWP) is analyzing contaminants in bivalves (oysters and mussels) collected along the coastal USA. Compared to the rest of the USA, the oysters collected from sites located along the southeastern coasts, from North Carolina to the Florida panhandle, display high concentrations of Arsenic (As) in their soft tissues. Phosphate deposits and pesticides residues are the hypothesized main sources of this Arsenic. The enrichment mechanism results from a mixture of processes including atmospheric deposition, river and aquifer inputs as well as ocean up-wellings. Transplant and in-situ experiments have shown that in this area, local environmental characteristics such as temperature, salinity and sediment composition (e.g. iron, calcium, phosphate and organic material contents) play a major role on As seasonal cycle and on its bioavailability and bioaccumulation by coastal benthic bivalves. The high As concentrations observed in these oysters do not appear to present any serious threat to the health of human or marine life. Key words: Arsenic, Bioaccumulation, Bivalves, Oysters |
