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Contaminant profiles for surface water, sediment, flora and fauna associated with the mangrove fringe along middle and lower East Tampa Bay
Citation:
Lewis, M. AND M. Russell. Contaminant profiles for surface water, sediment, flora and fauna associated with the mangrove fringe along middle and lower East Tampa Bay. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 95(1):273-282, (2015).
Impact/Purpose:
Describes contaminant bioaccumulation in Tampa Bay.
Description:
Contaminant concentrations are reported for surface water, sediment, seagrass, mangroves, Florida Crown conch, blue crabs and fish collected during 2010-2011 from the mangrove fringe along eastern Tampa Bay. Concentrations of trace metals, chlorinated pesticides, atrazine, total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls were species-, chemical- and location-specific. Contaminants in sediments did not exceed proposed individual sediment quality guidelines. Most sediment quality assessment quotients were less than one indicating the likelihood of no inhibitory effect based on chemical measurements alone. Faunal species typically contained more contaminants than plant species; seagrass contained more chemicals than mangroves. Bioconcentration factors for marine angiosperms were usually less than 10 and ranged between 1 and 31. Total mercury concentrations (ppm) in blue crabs and fish did not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency consumption guideline of 0.3 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration action level of 1.0 methyl mercury. In contrast, total mercury concentrations in faunal species often exceeded guideline values for wildlife consumers of aquatic biota.
