An assessment of contaminant body burdens in the coral (Porites astreoides) and Queen conch (Strombus gigas) from the St. Thomas East End Reserves (STEER)

Apeti, Dennis A.

Mason, Andrew L.

Hartwell, S. Ian

Pait, Anthony S.

Bauer, Laurie J.

Jeffrey, Christopher Francis, 1965-

Pittman, Simon

Hoffman, Anne M.

Galdo, Francis R.

United States, National Ocean Service

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (U.S.),

Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (U.S.)

United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)

United States, National Ocean Service

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (U.S.),

Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (U.S.)

United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)

2014

As part of the joint effort between the US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the NOAA Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science (NCCOS), to conduct a Reserves-wide impact assessment of land-based sources of pollution and effects in the St. Thomas East End Reserves (STEER), contaminant body burdens in coral (Porites astreoides) and conch (Strombus gigas) were assessed. Samples of coral and conch were collected from five previously identified strata and analyzed for more than 150 chemical contaminants including heavy metals (e.g. cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc) and organic contaminants (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocar-bons, polychlorinated biphenyls and pesticides). Conch from the STEER had lower contaminant body burdens relative to published data on conch from south Florida and some other areas of the Caribbean. Where available, contaminant body burdens in conch were compared to FDA maximum permissible action levels for molluscan shellfish consumption. The conch samples from the STEER had contaminant body burdens lower than their available respective FDA action levels. A significant correlation between higher concentrations of butyltins closer to shore existed for conch, despite relatively low overall concentrations as compared to previous results from the region.

Conservation

Coral reef conservation

Corals

Effect of water pollution on

Mangrove ecology

Queen conch

Water quality management

United States Virgin Islands

Saint Thomas

NOS (National Ocean Service)

NCCOS (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science)

CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)

Technical Memorandum

NOAA technical memorandum NOS NCCOS ; 177

As part of the joint effort between the US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the NOAA Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science (NCCOS), to conduct a Reserves-wide impact assessment of land-based sources of pollution and effects in the St. Thomas East End Reserves (STEER), contaminant body burdens in coral (Porites astreoides) and conch (Strombus gigas) were assessed. Samples of coral and conch were collected from five previously identified strata and analyzed for more than 150 chemical contaminants including heavy metals (e.g. cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc) and organic contaminants (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocar-bons, polychlorinated biphenyls and pesticides). Conch from the STEER had lower contaminant body burdens relative to published data on conch from south Florida and some other areas of the Caribbean. Where available, contaminant body burdens in conch were compared to FDA maximum permissible action levels for molluscan shellfish consumption. The conch samples from the STEER had contaminant body burdens lower than their available respective FDA action levels. A significant correlation between higher concentrations of butyltins closer to shore existed for conch, despite relatively low overall concentrations as compared to previous results from the region.

2014

NOS (National Ocean Service)

NCCOS (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science)

CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)

Library

Public Domain

1936

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/798