Gulfwatch: Monitoring spatial and temporal patterns of trace metal and organic contaminants in the Gulf of Maine (1991-1997) with the blue mussel, Mytilis edulis L

Gulfwatch, established in 1991, is an international contaminant monitoring program in which the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, is used as an indicator o f the level and extent of contamination in the Gulf of Maine. Since 1991, t race metals, PAHs, PCBs, and OC pesticides have been measured in mussel tis sues at 56 sites, The distribution of most metals was relatively uniform th roughout the Gulf with the exception of Ag, Ph and Cr, However, the concent ration of organic contaminants increased in a north-to-south direction. Hig h concentrations of contaminants were correlated with large human populatio n density and proximity to large rivers. Temporal analysis of five sites re vealed that the majority of contaminant concentrations were either unchange d or decreasing. The concentrations of most contaminants were lower than th e median of the National Status and Trends (NS & T) Mussel Watch with the e xceptions of Cr, Hg, Ph and Sigma PCB24, Hg concentrations at > 80% of the Gulfwatch sites exceeded the NS & T median +1 SD. Gulfwatch continues as a primary contaminant monitoring program in the Gulf of Maine, (C) 2001 Publi shed by Elsevier Science Ltd.