Abstract:

Fifteen sediment samples and fifty oyster (Crassostrea virginica) samples processed for polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in collaboration with other sentinel macrofauna research team members. Twelve sediment samples were processed during the experimental design phase to help establish the experimental design. Three sites were chosen for long-term study; these were Grand Bay, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, Alabama. Oysters were recovered from the from sites after ~2-month incubations. All samples were found to contain PAHs and ranges from 132 to 4,370 ng total PAH g-1 dry weight of oyster tissue. Sediments ranged from 1.3 to 26.1 ng total PAH g-1 weight of sediment. The concentration of PAH in sediments were relatively constant at the Orange Beach and Fort Morgan sites and varied considerable at the Grand Bay site. Fifteen individual PAHs were identified by co-elution with known standards and mass spectral analysis (Naphthalene, Acenaphthene, Acenaphthylene, Flourene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Fluoranthene, Pyrene, Benz(a)anthracene, chrysene, Benzo(b)flouranthene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, Dibenz(a,h)anthracene, Benzo(g,h,i)perylene) and two additional PAHs were identified from their relative retention times and mass spectral analysis (Benzo(k)fluoranthene, Benzo(j)fluorathene). There was a general correlation between sediment and oyster PAH concentration.

Suggested Citation:

Findlay, Robert . 2015. Sediment and and oyster (Crassostrea virginica) samples processed for polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, Grand Bay, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, 2010-2011. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7J1014X

Purpose:

The purpose of collecting sediment data was to assess the sediment PAH load at various potential oyster incubation sites. The purpose of analyzing oysters was to determine their pollutant load.

Data Parameters and Units:

individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons dry weight (ng/g) [Napthalyene, Acenaphthylene, Acenaphthene, Flourene, d10-Phenanthrene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Fluoranthene, Pyrene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Chrysene, Benoz[b]fluoranthene, Benzo(k)fluoranthene, Benzo(j)fluorathene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene] Date Recovered (MM/DD/YYYY) Sample Type [Sediment, Oyster, Fat, gut Gland] Procedure Type [Wet Extraction, Lypho/sub, Lypho] Dry Weight (g) Dry Weight Extracted (g) STD standard deviation curve dilution

Methods:

Lipid extraction (see Fang and Findlay 1996), SPE cleanup, identification and quantification by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Instruments:

Agilent 6890N gas chromatograph and agilent 6993N mass selective detector.

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