A study was conducted to test the applicability of adenylate energy charge (AEC) and adenine nucleotide pool concentrations as measures of biological response in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, and the marine polychaete, Nephtys incisa, after exposure in the laboratory an field to contaminated dredged material from Black Rock Harbor (BRH), Bridgeport, Conn. A second objective was to include field verification of laboratory results, and a third objective was to investigate residue-effect relationships between tissue concentrations of BRH contaminants and AEC and adenine nucleotide pool concentrations. Tissue residue concentrations, particularly of persistent compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls, were found to be closely related to exposure concentration. The biological responses evaluated in this report included the adenine nucleotide measures of adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, adenylate pool, and AEC. Adenine nucleotides and AEC are important in energy transformation and in regulation of metabolic processes. Responses in adenine nucleotide pools correlate with tissue concentrations of BRH contaminants in exposed organisms. Measurement of the adenine nucleotide concentrations may help to characterize the energy costs incurred by organisms under stressful conditions. (AW)