Toxic Chemical Contaminents Program
NOTE: COP ceased funding for all toxic programs except Biscayne Bay, FL
in FY96. Program Efforts will be maintained by NOS and NMFS under their Status
and Trends program.
THE ISSUE:
The technologically advanced society of the United States releases many
different potentially toxic substances to the environment, many of which find
their way into coastal and estuarine waters. Little is known about the ultimate
fates of these contaminants and their effects on living resources and other
organisms. Toxic contaminants may cause undesirable biological effects to
organisms in the environment. Further, toxic contaminants may also accumulate
in living marine resources at levels that pose a threat to human consumers
of these resources. The resource managers who make vital decisions on regulation
and protection of our coastal environments need accurate and reliable information
on toxics, their sources, loading rates, and fate and effects in the environment.
THE APPROACH:
In 1991, the Toxic Chemical Contaminants Program was created under the NOAA
Coastal Ocean Program (COP) to develop the information needed by decision
makers concerning the effects of contaminants on coastal resources. It is
designed to augment, integrate, and expand the efforts of the National Status
and Trends Program in NOAA's National Ocean Service and National Marine Fisheries
Service. Three major activities are being funded: 1) a national survey of
toxic contaminant bioeffects; 2) bioeffects indicator development; and 3)
bioeffects and bioaccumulation research. The COP hopes to assess the status
and trends of environmental quality in relation to levels and effects of toxic
contamination in U.S. marine, estuarine, and Great Lakes environments, as
well as develop a predictive capability for effects of toxic contamination
on marine resources and human uses of these resources.
Toxics Applications by State
- California
- Florida
- Massachusetts
- South Carolina
- Washington
For Additional Information:
NOAA/NMFS/Northwest
Fisheries Science Center
NOAA/NOS/ORCA/National
Status and Trends Program
Last Updated: August 22, 2001
CALIFORNIA
Numerous benthic community and sediment studies have been conducted in southern
California, especially in the Santa Monica Bay and the continental shelf off
the large municipal treatment plants in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San
Diego. These studies have demonstrated significant biological responses to
these contaminants. While these areas have received the most attention thus
far, very little information exists for other areas in southern California.
Many of these lagoons and bays receive runoff form large upland areas, and
inputs of toxicants from industry, residential areas, and boats. More information
is needed to estimate the magnitude and extent of effects in southern California
in order to be able to make appropriate decisions on how to remediate the
toxicant effects and initiate clean up actions.
The Coastal Ocean Program, in cooperation with the California Water Resources
Control Board initiated a series of systematic multi-year field surveys to
study bioindicators of contaminant exposure and effects in fish and on the
distribution of sediment contamination and toxicity. Sediment chemistry and
toxicity bioassays have been performed at sites distributed between Los Angeles
and Huntington Harbor. These observations have also been conducted at sites
in San Diego Bay and Mission Bay. The relationship between the spatial extent
of sediment toxicity and contaminant bioeffects in fish are being explored
in these surveys. COP is supporting the preparation of final summary reports
for use by resource managers and other interested parties in the region.
FLORIDA
Biscayne Bay: Biscayne Bay has been identified by the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) as a high priority area for toxicity assessment.
The Coastal Ocean Program has initiated a series of multi-disciplinary surveys
consisting of sediment toxicity testing and fish/invertebrate bioeffects studies
with an emphasis on effects of pesticides used in local agricultural operations.
Western Florida Panhandle: Bioeffect surveys (sediment toxicity,
oyster and fish bioeffects) were initiated in the western Florida panhandle
in 1993 . The study area extends from Appalachicola Bay to Pensacola Bay and
includes St. Andrews Bay (Panama City), and Choctawatchee Bay (Ft. Walton
Beach).
MASSACHUSETTS
NOAA toxic chemical bioeffects surveys in Boston Harbor have focused on the
incidence of histopathological disorders and reproductive impairment in winter
flounder, mussels and soft-shell clams. To complete the assessment of Boston
Harbor, the Coastal Ocean Program recently conducted an intensive survey of
sediment toxicity in the Bay, completed the chemical analyses of the survey
samples, and is developing a synthesis of the results, along with those of
previous studies, which will be published as summary reports useful to resource
managers.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Several estuaries along the South Carolina/northern Georgia coast are known
to be relatively highly contaminated and under intense pressure from urbanization.
Oysters from this area are
sampled as part of the NOAA National Status & Trends Program show relatively
high concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides and metals. A multi-disciplinary
survey has been designed consisting of measuring bioeffects in sediments,
oysters, and fish. The COP supports the NOAA Charleston Laboratory and the
University of South Carolina in this cooperative research effort.
WASHINGTON
This project will improve understanding of underlying mechanisms that govern contaminant-
induced changes in marine organisms through indices (bioindicators) that measure
these changes, and by estimating the concentration and distribution of toxics
in the marine environment. COP supports the Northwest Fisheries Science Center
for these projects.
