Environmental contaminants, species identifiers and characteristics, and other variables from the east and west US coasts for the National Status and Trends Program (NSTP) from 1984-01-01 to 1988-04-05 (NCEI Accession 8900125)

This collection contains 1986-1989 Mussel Watch Data collected under National Status and Trends Program. The samples were collected along the east, west, gulf coast of the United States and two sites in Hawaii. Bivalve samples were analyzed for the presence of the following contaminants: polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's), total DDT's and total chlorinated pesticides, and for trace metal concentrations. There are data from three phases of study, which were analyzed by Battelle Ocean Sciences. Data ranges for the three phases are: Phase 1 contains data for 288 bivalves from 96 locations; 01/07/86-05/13/86. Phase 2 contains data for 297 bivalves collected at 99 locations; 11/11/86-03/28/87. Phase 3 contains data for 321 bivalves from 107 locations; 11/20/87-03/29/88. Bivalve data also includes species, shell length, and gonadal indices. Bivalve data associated with this study (Phases 1-3) is located on the 0-data/ directory under folder number L00434.dir.

Folder number L01130.dir contains the Benthic Surveillance Program Data for 1984 thru 1986. This program determines the toxic concentrations in sediments and bottom fish. Samples were collected in the same sites as described above. Sediments were analyzed for the presence of the following contaminants: polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's), total DDT's and total chlorinated pesticides, and for trace metal concentrations. The Benthic sediment/fish data were collected concurrently with bivalve samples. However, Benthic data were only available from Battelle Ocean Sciences for Phase 1 (259 sediments at 87 locations from 01/15/86 - 05/14/86) and Phase 2 (232 sediments at 72 locations from 11/11/86 - 03/28/87) at the time of this submission.