National Status and Trends, Mussel Watch Program : A 2018 Assessment of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Southern California Bight

In 2018, in collaboration with the Southern California Coastal Water Research Program (SCWRPP), the California Ocean Protection Council, and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS), the National Mussel Watch Program (MWP) assessed the magnitude and distribution of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in coastal waters in the Southern California Bight. Using mussels (Mytilus species) and sediment as indicators of contamination, mussel tissue and sediment samples were analyzed for alkylphenol compounds (APs), alternative flame retardants (AFRs), polybrominated flame retardants (BFRs) such as polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), current-use pesticides (CUPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs). The mussel and sediment samples were collected at historic MWP monitoring sites located within the Southern California Bight. Sample collection was conducted by SCWRPP and CINMS following standard protocols (Apeti et al., 2012). Mussel tissue and/or sediment samples were collected from a total of 35 monitoring sites and were assessed for a suite of 142 – 281 individual CEC contaminants, depending on the sample matrix and site location.