Bioaccumulation in Mussels Caged in Alamitos Bay, CA

Boudreau, Christine M.; Jenkins, Kenneth D.; Sanders, Brenda M.; ,

Bioaccumulation in Mussels Caged in Alamitos Bay, CA

by Christine M. Boudreau, California State Univ, Long Beach, United States,
Kenneth D. Jenkins, California State Univ, Long Beach, United States,
Brenda M. Sanders, California State Univ, Long Beach, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '93

Abstract:

Alamitos Bay is a coastal embayment located in the southern portion of the highly urbanized Los Angeles basin. There is concern of the potential for contamination stemming from urban non-point sources and point sources which discharge directly into the Bay and its tributaries. However, current conditions of the Bay are not well documented. To address this problem, we have used caged mussels to ascertain if bioconcentratable trace metals and hydrocarbons were prevalent in Alamitos Bay. We have also used stress proteins to evaluate the potential for sublethal stress. Mussels from a clean source were deployed at various stations in and around the Bay following the Department of Fish and Games' Mussel Sampling Procedures Protocol. After two months of exposure, the mussels were retrieved and analyzed for metal and hydrocarbon content and stress protein concentration. The results indicate a spatial trend of bioaccumulating contaminants. The bioaccumulation data will be compared between stations and with regional data from the California Mussel Watch Program and the National Status and Trends Program. Correlations between bioaccumulation and sublethal stress will also be discussed.

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