US EPA

1386220 

Journal Article 

Sediment contaminants in Casco Bay, Maine: Inventories, sources, and potential for biological impact 

Kennicutt M C, II; Wade, TL; Presley, BJ; Requejo, AG; Brooks, JM; Denoux, GJ 

1994 

1 

Environmental Science & Technology
ISSN: 0013-936X
EISSN: 1520-5851 

BIOSIS/94/06969 

28 

1 

1-15 

English 

22175827 

10.1021/es00050a003 

WOS:A1994MP60400012 

BIOSIS COPYRIGHT: BIOL ABS. An inventory-based approach to environmental assessment that determines concentrations of sedimentary contaminants, defines their origins, and assesses the potential for biological impact is illustrated in Casco Bay, ME (USA). The most widespread contaminants in Casco Bay are petroleum and petroleum byproducts. The highest concentrations of contaminants are associated with population centers, effluent outfalls, and spills. The majority of PAH in sediments are the product of high-temperature combustion processes. PAH concentrations at sites in close proximity to Portland exceed values believed to produce toxic responses in marine benthic organisms. In contrast, PCB, DDTs, and chlordane concentrations in the sediments are below concentrations thought to produce toxic effects in marine organisms. Metal concentrations in sediments are also below those that elicit biological responses. The geographic distribution of contaminants is initially controlled by the proximity to so 

Ecology; Ecology; Biochemical Studies-General; Biochemical Studies-Minerals; Toxicology-Environmental and Industrial Toxicology; Public Health: Environmental Health-Air; Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany; Invertebrata; Organisms-Unspecified; Animalia-Unspecified