Animals

The animals analyzed for the target group of bacteria included

12 lobsters, 8 crabs, and 12 scallops obtained from 9 stations.

The tissues examined included the gills and guts of crabs and
lobsters and the whole scallop. The amount of material needed

to inject the various bacteriological media required that several
animals, because of their size, be pooled for analysis. The

number of animals from some of the desired stations was also limited.
Results of all tissue analyses are given in Table 13.

Total Coliforms-Fecal Coliforms - The total coliform MPN count

per gram of tissue examined varied from greater than 12,000 to 70.
Counts had a tendency to be higher in animals from inshore stations,
although high counts were also found at offshore station 35.

Fecal coliforms were demonstrated in animals from 5 of the 9
stations sampled. Positive readings were from the inner Bight,
again with the exception of station 35. The fecal coliform MPN
count per gram varied from 1200 to <15 per gram of animal tissue.
No explanation for the presence of fecal coliforms at station 35
can be given at this time.

E. coli - EC tubes yielded 41 cultures positive for E. coli on
speciation. All EC-positive tubes from the animals yielded E. coli,
demonstrating sewage contamination in these tissues.

Fecal Streptococci - Except for material from station 49, all
cultures analyzed contained gram (+) cocci. The presence of fecal
streptococci did not correlate with the fecal coliform count;

more animals were positive for this organism than for fecal coliforms.

Clostridium perfringens - All cultures produced from animal
enrichments were presumptive positive for C. perfringens. Not all

isolates are confirmed as C. perfringens because difficulties in
outgrowth occurred in one of our biochemical tests, but at least

one culture obtained from each animal was positive for C. perfringens.
This is an indication of sewage contamination, although the feca
coliform test did not confirm such contamination. Also, other
clostridial types were noted on the plates but have not been
identified further.

Potential Pathogens

Salmonella: Three isolates, one from brilliant green and two from
sulfate agar, speciated by the API system to be Salmonella spp. These
isolates came from scallops that were harvested from station 40,

near the sludge and dredge spoil dumpsites. It is interesting to
note that fecal coliforms were not detected at this station, either
in the animals or in the bottom sediments.

~53-


73
30

nautical miles

30
kilometers

y) x s

vores L : n ni

Figure 9. Distribution of Pb (ppm, dry wt.) in surface sediments.




Table 16. Percent incidence of gill-fouling entities on 41 Cancer
irroratus from the New York Bight collected in July 1980
upper row of figures) vs. entities on 472 Bight specimens
examined since 1973 (Sawyer et al. 1979).

Debris Bacteria Diatoms Ciliates Amoebae Copepods
1980 61 50 7 7 25 50
Earlier 61 51 22 13 20 16

-62-


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-73-


a)

74

$
a

: 73°

nautical miles

- 10 20 30
3

kilometers

n

Figure 2.

Percent silt (4-64 um) in surface sediments.



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-26-


(continued from inside front cover)

7. Methodology for Identification and Analysis of Fishery Management
Options. By Brian J. Rothschild, Richard C. Hennemuth, Jacob J. Dykstra, Leo
C. Murphy, Jr., John C. Bryson, and James D. Ackert. December 1980. v + 10
pe, 5 figs., 1 app.

8. Phytoplankton Community Structure in Northeastern Coastal Waters of the
United States. I. Oetober 1978. By Harold G. Marshall and Myra S. Cohn.
August 1981. Revised and reprinted October 1981. v + 14 p., 4 figs., 1

app.

9. Phytoplankton Community Structure in Northeastern Coastal Waters of the
United States. II. November 1978. By Harold G. Marshall and Myra S$. Cohn.
August 1981. Revised and reprinted October 1981. v + 14 p., 3 figs., 1 app.

10. Annual NEMP Report on the Health of the Northeast Coastal Waters of the
United States, 1980. Northeast Monitoring Program Report No. NEMP IV 81 A-H
0043. August 1981, Revised and reprinted January 1982. xxi + 79 p., 23
figs., 4 tables, 5 app.

ll. Proceedings of the Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) Age and Growth
Workshop, 20-21 May 1980, Northeast Fisheries Center, Woods Hole,
Massachusettes. By Ronal W. Smith, Louise M. Dery, Paul G. Scarlett, and
Ambrose Jearld, Jr. December 1981. iv + 14 p., 10 figs., 6 tables.

12. Status of the Fishery Resources Off the Northeastern United States for
1981. By Resource Assessment Division, Northeast Fisheries Center. January
1982. iii + 114 p., 44 figs., 44 tables.

13. Gulf and Atlantic Survey for Selected Organic Pollutants in Finfieh. By
Paul D. Boehm and Pam Hirtzer. April 1982. vii + lll p., 46 figs., 31
tables, 2 app.

14. Ecosystem Definition and Community Structure of the Macrobenthos of the
NEMP Monitoring Station at Pigeon Hill in the Gulf of Maine. By Alan W.
Hulbert, Kenneth J. Pecci, Jonathan D. Witman, Larry G. Harris, James R.
Sears, and Richard A. Cooper. May 1982. xii + 143 p., 16 figs., 10 tables, 9

app.

15. Seasonal Phytoplankton Assemblages in Northeastern Coastal Waters of the
United States. By Harold G. Marshall and Myra S. Cohn. July 1982. vi + 31
p., 8 figs., 2 tables.

-9]-


Sediment Sampie

Methanol Wash

Methanol
4
Dried Sediment
(1) NaCl (saturated)
. . - (2) Acidify w/Het
(1) 50g in Teflon jar or centrifuge tube
(2) Internal standards (3) Extract 3x w/CH2C!
(3) CH3OH/CH2C!2 (1:9)
(4) Flush w/N2

(S) Shake at ambient temperature 40 hours with
solvent changa after 16 and 24 hours

cegonrer cue Aqueous
i CH3OH/CH2C! y
Sediment ¢ MaOH 2Cl2 henge Aaweous
i (1) Combine ara
oer (2) Ory over Na2SO4 [owe
(3) Concentrate to 100 wi
= (4) Weigh
Concentrated
Extract

(1) Oispiace with Hexane

Silica Get
Column
Chromatography
Hexane/Methylene Methanol (f3)
f:
Haxane (f1) Chloride (f2)
(Weigh Aliquot) (Weigh Aliquot) (Weigh Aliquot)
v v
Aliphatic Aromatic Polar NSO
Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbons Compounds
Add BSA
Form TMS
Store t Derivatives
GC/ECD  6c2/ms
(PCBs) (PAHs ) ec?

(Coprostanol)

14, Analytical scheme for PCB, PAH and coprostanol in sediment samples.

-33-


NEW
JERSEY

440.

74

nautical miles
30

10 30 50
kilometers

73°

Figure 26.

sediment.
type 7; u
data =

Numbers of human enteroviral isolates per kg of

1 = echovirus type 1;
= unidentified virus;

no virus isolated

cro 46-008

7 = echovirus
dot without


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-29-


gill disease at stations not in proximity to disposal sites, but
within the confines of the New York Bight apex, was within the

range previously observed. in surveys of C. irroratus and reported

by Sawyer et al. (1979). Black discoloration of the carapace or black
perforations in the carapace or appendages was observed in 8% of the
specimens (26/337). The two conditions were observed in both male
and female crabs, and the incidence of both was approximately the same
at "control" and "contaminated" collection strata. Black foci of
melanization in otherwise clean gills were noted in 5 specimens

(3 males, 2 females) and the condition was observed in both
collection strata. Stations sampled and the number of crabs. from
each are summarized in Table 15.

Forty-one of the 126 crabs from "contaminated" stations were
examined for histological evidence of disease or stress (Table 16).
Unidentified copepods, probably ectoparasitic, were found between
the gill lamellae of approximately 50% of the crabs examined from
nearshore stations in the Bight apex. This represents a noteworthy
increase over previous data.

Conversely, incidence of sessile ciliate protozoa attached to the
gill cuticle was lower than in past studies. Previous studies
(Sawyer et al. 1979) conducted at nearshore stations with a depth

of 30 m or less showed that approximately 25-50% of the rock crabs
had ciliated epibionts. Only 3 of the 41 crab gills (7%) examined in
the present survey had similar fouling organisms and only one

ciliate per tissue section was observed. Factors which influence the
incidence and abundance of ciliates and copepods on the gill lamellae
have not been determined. The incidence of epiphytic bacteria which
often coat gill surfaces (Bodammer and Sawyer 1981) was approximately
the same as recorded from previous surveys (50%). Although bacteria
have not been identified to genus or species, ultrastructural studies
(Bodammer and Sawyer 1981) have shown that nine different morphological
types may be recognized in photomicrographs,

Analyses of all data on gills from C. irroratus collected since 1973
showed that the incidence of the fouling entities, except ciliates
and copepods, was approximately the same as observed in the present
survey. Again, the remarkably low incidence of black gill noted
here may have been partly due to the small numbers of crabs captured
at most of the selected stations. Our eight years of data indicate
that a value of 0-2% reflects the background incidence of black

gill disease in the Bight, and that a value of up to 10% may be
characteristic of those areas impacted by the deposition of barge-
delivered wastes (Sawyer et al. 1979).

~61-




74°

nautical miles
10 20

30

kilometers

g
1 4 LL 1

Figure 17. Wet weight values for PCBs (ppm)/% body fat in red hake. cee me-oes


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JERSEY

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{945 /
+26 ‘a H
O \ /
i +23 / i
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Figure 1, Station locations in New York Bight and Long Island Sound. oe wees
Stations within box were a priori considered "contaminated"

for comparison with other stations. "Replicate" stations
(see text) are 4, 6, 7, 15, 26 and 31 (standard-NEMP sites),

and 40-43. Single grabs were taken at the remainder of
stations 1-44, Higher-numbered stations were for body-burden
samples only. A = Sewage sludge disposal site; M= Dredged
material disposal site.

ara


Figure Number

13.

14,

15.
16.
V7.

LIST OF FIGURES
Title of Figure

Station locations in the New York Bight and
Long Island Sound

Percent silt (4-64 um) in surface sediments.
Percent clay (<4 um) in surface sediments.

Distribution of total organic carbon (mg/g)
in surface sediments.

Distribution of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (mg/g)
in surface sediments.

Relationship of total organic carbon to
percent clay in surface sediments.

Distribution of Hg in surface sediments, ppm
dry wt.

Distribution of Cd in surface sediments, ppm
dry wt.

Distribution of Pb in surface sediments, ppm
dry wt.

Distribution of Cu in surface sediments, ppm
dry wt.

Distribution of Zn in surface sediments, ppm
dry wt.

Distribution of Cr in surface sediments, ppm
dry wt.

Distribution of Ni in surface sediments, ppm
dry wt.

Procedure for analysis of organic contaminants
in sediments.

PCB levels (ppb) in sediments.
Coprostanol levels (ppm) in sediments.

PCBs (ppm) and percent body fat in red hake.

Page

10

i

12

7

18

19

20

21

22

23

33
34
35
39


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of individuals among species (the other component of H'); few
species had high densities at any of these stations, which perhaps
reflects the rigors of living in coarse shifting sand or in areas of
low carbon content. Diversities in LIS were quite low (0.7-2.0) and
comparable to CB values. Again, the low values may be partly due
to use of a larger mesh sieve. No trends were obvious from east

to west in LIS.

Community Structure (Cluster Analysis)

Classification of stations according to similarity of species
compositions yielded nine station groups at the 30% similarity
level (Fig. 29). The groups were: A - three stations in southern
CB and three in the adjacent northern HSV; B - eight stations in
and near CB; C - the two stations furthest south in the HSV and a
Long Island offshore station; D - the single NJ offshore and a LI
offshore station; E - nine LI offshore stations; F and H - each two
NJ inshore stations; G - the dumpsites and nearby NJ inshore and CB
stations (two of each); and I - five of the six southernmost NJ
inshore stations.

Distribution of these groups is shown in Fig. 30. Not surprisingly,
most groups consisted of stations which were physically close
together as well as having similar depths and sediment types.

Some noteworthy observations are:

1) Group G contained the most contaminant-altered stations.
Assemblages at the sewage sludge dumpsite and sludge deposition
area were sparse and dominated by pollution-tolerant species
such as the polychaetes, Capiteila spp., and isopod, Edotea
triloba. The dredge spoil dumpsite had a denser and more diverse
fauna, but here also many of the dominants were species often
found in contaminated sediments (i.e., polychaetes, Amastigos
caperatus and Polydora ligni, and bivalve, Tellina agilis).

Of the other stations in this group, the fauna at 27 and 42
graded toward the "periphery" assemblage discussed below, having
moderate numbers of several species which reach high densities

in the periphery assemblage. The similarity of station 22 and 43
assemblages to dumpsite and periphery faunas was less obvious.

2) All Group B stations were 4-8 km from one or both dumpsites,
and were characterized by very high densities of ceriantharian
anthozoans and the deposit-feeding bivalve, Nucula proxima, and
polychaetes, Nephtys incisa and Pherusa affinis. Such “enriched”
assemblages have often been found on the peripheries of areas of
high organic loading (Pearson and Rosenberg 1978). Walker et al.
(1979) and Boesch (in press) noted the occurrence of this
assemblage in CB; the large populations of several tolerant
species are apparently in response to high concentrations of labile
carbon in areas where sediment consistency or toxicity is less
limiting than in the sludge deposition area. The deposit-feeding

-67-


NEW
JERSEY

4°

74

10

nautical miles

30
kilometers

Figure 34.

Numbe

rs

-76-

of tomato seeds per 0.1 me.

Fo su6.c2l


KIMOs;
< pnd. an
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Se
&
Z
8
4
©.
.

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L .

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/NEC-16

This TM series is used for documentation and timely communication of
preliminary results, interim reports, or special purpose information; and
has not received complete formal review, editorial control, or detailed

editing.

%

i

is
My
ai

Northeast Monitoring Program
NEMP III 82 A,B,D,G 0035

Contaminants in New York Bight
and Long Island Sound
Sediments and Demersal Species,
and Contaminant Effects on Benthos,
Summer 1980

Robert N. Reid, John E. O'Reilly,
and Vincent S. Zdanowicz, eds.

Sandy Hook Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, Highlands, NJ 07732

(new NTs.
RODUCED BY:
U.S. Department of Commerce =
‘National Technical tnformation Service
i Springfield, Virgiala 22164

C a

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Maicolm Baldridge, Secretary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
John V, Byrne, Administrator

National Marine Fisheries Service
William G. Gordon, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Northeast Fisheries Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

September 1982




Region II areas (LI and NJ Shelf) having coarser sediments which
are not as rich in organic material. Long Island Sound (Region
III) is a distinct region with sediments even higher in fines
and TOC content than those of the NY8.

The highest metal levels found in the entire Bight (I and II)

were centered around stations 5 and 6, in the Christiaensen Basin,
just west of the sludge dumpsite. Mercury measurements at stations
5, 6, and 40 are missing, but Fig. 10 shows values increasing toward
the center of the CB, with a low value (<0.04 ppm) at station 21,
north of the Basin. The cadmium maximum (Fig. 7) was also centered
around stations 5 and 6, generally decreasing with distance from
those stations. Lead, copper, zinc, chromium and nickel maxima

all lie in this area, between the sewage sludge and dredge spoils
dumping sites. A second maximum (of equal or slightly lesser magnitude)
for each metal was found in the "Mud Hole" (centered around stations
13 and 16). Minimum values for most metals were found at stations
41 and 43 in the apex, and in the sandy shelf sediments (Region I1)
bordering the apex/HSV to the east and west.

In Long Island Sound, metal concentrations were as high as those
found in the Christiaensen Basin, levels generally decreasing toward
the east. Copper (Fig. 9) and zinc (Fig. 13) levels at the western
end of the Sound were higher than their respective levels in the
Christiaensen Basin.

Discussion of these findings and comparison with other data are
included in Section 4.

Metals in Biota

Tables 3 through 8 show the concentrations of eight (8) metals

found in the muscle tissue of each of the six species examined by
Region. Table 9 lists the overall ranges of values measured for each
species, irrespective of locale.

In general, several observations can be made: 1) no muscle tissue
sample contained a high level of any metal relative to highest

levels found in sediments (or in the case of Hg to the “action level"
of 1 ppm above which consumption may be harmful), regardless of
species or catch location. 2) Apart from the Christiaensen Basin,
another possible geographic "hot spot" revealed in the study is an
area known locally as the "Mud Hole", a depositional area about 30 km
SSE of the central basin, in the northern part of the Hudson Shelf
Valley. Lobster samples from the Mud Hole had the highest lead
content (0.6 ppm), and contained moderate amounts of Hg as well (0.12 and
0.15 ppm), as did a sample of windowpane flounder (0.25 ppm) from
station 52. Highest Cd values were found at station 12 (0.23 ppm)

and 52 (0.25 ppm) in windowpane flounder, and at station 12 (0.20 ppm)

-24-


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of viruses were collected from the final grab, which had been pre-
rinsed. At non-replicate stations, three grabs were taken: one for
sediment composition and macrofauna, one for microorganisms and one
(pre-rinsed) for PCBs, PAHs, coprostanol and viruses. Cores for trace
metals were collected from each of these grabs.

Fish and shellfish were collected using a 3/4 Yankee trawl or a two-meter-
wide crab rake. Tows were 15-30 minutes at 2.5-3.5 knots. Tows were
made at many of the bottom grab stations and in a number of other areas
where concentrations of any of the six target species might be present
(Stations 45-59 in Fig. 1). The objective was to obtain five or more
composite samples, or blends of at least five specimens of each species,
from "contaminated" and "uncontaminated" strata for comparisons of trace
metal burdens, and a like number for PCB/PAH analysis. When sufficient
numbers of a species were collected to form a composite, they were either
dissected and frozen for analysis of trace metal concentrations in various
organs, or wrapped in aluminum foil (pre-rinsed with acetone and methylene
chloride) and frozen whole for measurement of PCBs and PAHs in muscle.
Additional rock crabs were collected for the gill fouling studies
recommended in the MESA plan and for supplemental work on metals in

gills, carapace erosion, histopathology and viruses. Contour maps were
generated using the SYMAP program (version 5), Harvard Center for Environ-
mental Design Studies, Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial
Analysis. All regression lines are functional regressions which treat
the variables on both axes as independent variables (Ricker 1973).


eosin methylene blue plates (EMB), and incubated 24 hours at

35°C, Isolated colonies were picked onto slants for identification
at the laboratory. In addition to the MPN determination, we also
evaluated direct enrichment of approximately 3 grams of sediment in
30 mi of lauryl sulfate tryptose broth (LST) medium with incubation
at 35°C for 24 hours, followed by subculturing into EC medium.

The purpose was to detect fecal coliforms not detected by the

MPN technique and to evaluate the direct MPN-EC procedure. Direct
platings of sediment dilutions were also done on Violet Red (VR)
agar, another medium used to detect fecal coliforms.

Additional collections for biota were made in September. Animals
were analyzed as follows:

Total _and Fecal Coliforms - Total coliform concentrations were
determined in lauryl sulfate tryptose (LST) broth at 35°C with con-
firmation for fecal coliforms in EC broth incubated at 45,5°C.
Gills and guts of crabs and lobsters, and whole scallops, were
analyzed. Initial animal homogenates were made on a weight-to-
weight (1:1) basis with peptone saline. To obtain enough material
for analysis, it was necessary in most cases to pool tissues from
several animals from each trawl] or drag. As with the sediment,
isolates were taken from the positive tubes for identification.

E. coli - Positive EC broth cultures were streaked onto EMB plates.
Tsolated colonies were pciked onto agar slants for future identifi-
cation by API (Analytical Products, Inc.) speciation.

Fecal Streptococci - Aliquots of the animal homogenates were incubated
in FC broth and streaked onto FC agar medium with incubation at

35°C. Typical isolated colonies were picked onto slants for later
confirmation. Confirmation of isolates was by gram size stain and
cell morphology.

Klebsiella - Homogenates of animals were streaked directly on the
klebsiellae medium (3). Typical blue colonies were picked for
identification by the API system. Other isolates were obtained
from the coliform tests.

Clostridium perfringens - Homogenates were streaked onto egg yolk
agar containing the antibiotic cycloserine. This was done either
directly or after enrichment in cooked medium or the thioglycolate
broth containing the antibiotic, with incubation at 35°C for
24 hours. Confirmation of isolates was done biochemically.

Salmonella - Homogenates were inoculated in sodium tetrathionate
enrichment medium containing brilliant green and incubated at

35°C for 24 hours. After incubation, brilliant green bismuth sulfite
agar plates were streaked. Typical colonies were picked further
for identification.

-48-


5.3

Using ratios of coprostanol/total steroids, both Hatcher and
McGillivary (1979) and the present study found that extent of
sewage contamination decreased rapidly from the center of CB to
sites 10 n mi away; 50 n mi from the center of the basin,
sediments were free from sewage contamination as indicated by
coprostanol values below detection. In our data, the high
coprostanol/total steroid ratios at the sewage sludge dumpsite
(station 7) and accumulation area (station 6) indicate the organic
carbon at these sites is almost entirely sewage derived.

FUTURE SAMPLING

Inputs of some or all of the contaminants discussed above may
change substantially with such factors as adoption of the
accommodative capacity concept, or capping or moving dumpsites.

The present monitoring program has established benchmarks against
which future changes in contaminant distributions and concentrations
can be measured. Ecological effects of present contaminant levels
on benthic macrofauna have been documented, so trends in contaminant
effects can also be examined.

Contaminant and pathogen concentrations in fish and shellfish do not
presently appear to represent a hazard to human health; we will
continue to monitor these concentrations to provide warning of any
changes from this condition. There is more uncertainty over the
ecological effects of the contaminants on the species in question.
Toward that end, our summer 1981 monitoring survey included analysis
of organs such as kidney and liver, where contaminants may accumulate
and endanger the well-being of individuals or populations. Time
permitting, our summer 1982 survey will measure contaminants in
selected benthic macrofauna species, to examine 1) relationships
between burdens and observed ecological effects on the macrobenthos,
and 2) movement of contaminants up food webs, from the benthos to
species of direct interest to man.

Monitoring to date has not permitted a clear-cut separation of
contributions of the various waste sources to observed contaminant
distributions and effects. Such knowledge is needed for effective
management of waste inputs, including decisions on whether specific
inputs should be continued, relocated, increased or decreased. Our
1982 survey will therefore include very intensive sampling in and °
near the Christiaensen Basin, in an attempt to define better the
relative influences of sludge and dredged material dumping vs. Hudson-
Raritan and other inputs. More effort will be devoted to exploring
ratios and correlations among sediments and contaminants, with the
objective of establishing chemical signatures to track fates and
effects of different waste inputs. This information, combined with
data from the 1980-81 surveys and compared to the early '70s data,
will permit stronger statements on trends in the system and means
of managing it more effectively.


74 73

nautical miles

Se |
10 30 50
kilometers

NEW
JERSEY

Figure 30. Distribution of cluster-derived species groups.

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-30-


Rewucar Mves
20 30

70 30
kilometers

JERSEY

fe

SS
Wet weight values for PCBs (ppm)/% body fat in windowpane

Figure 20.
flounder.


Table 11. Concentrations of total PAHs measured (left of oblique lines) and totals
without phenanthrene (right) in target species. Values are in parts
per billion, wet weight. * = "contaminated" area in Figure 1.

Winter Windowpane
Station flounder flounder Red hake Lobster Rock crab Scallop
1* 119/23 250/126
6* 28/3 163/84 434/280 95/14
gx 225/117 530/363 530/363
12* 214/118 164/9 697/463 174/118
14 523/157 97/23
15 285/68
16* 150/62 273/26 243/99 305/78
18* 510/350 475/207
30 155/29 217/46 376/60
31 194/75
33 246/157 69/17 136/41
34 529/165
36 501/124 252/54 141/36
38 323/109 1989/1510 44/38 -
4\* 35/9
46 142/27 213/83 270/60
47 317/70 229/78
50 "233/23 361/83
51* 171/106
53* 153/45 389/131 311/161
57* 494/175
58* 126/23
59* 260/66
LIS 8. 200/21 139/88 494/322 842/216
LIS 88 123/27 189/38 241/18 137/34 2510/165

-47-


nautical miles

10 30 50
kilometers

NEW
JERSEY

i i <]
; a
os é \
§ S
1 = 1 n 1.
ro. sus.a85

Figure 21. Wet weight values for PCBs (ppm)/% body fat in sea scallop.
ND = not detected.

“>


Capitella spp., often used as indicators of organic pollution,
may also attain high densities in areas where only physical
disturbance has taken place (Eagle and Rees 1973), and many

other pollution-tolerant forms are also found in uncontaminated
areas. Nevertheless, distributions of Capitella and other species
may still be useful supplements to the variables treated above
(species richness, diversity, density and community structure)

in determining biological effects of contamination.

To the extent that large populations of Capitella do signal gross
organic enrichment in the NYB apex, our collections indicate this
condition is confined to a rather small area where appreciable deposition
of sewage sludge occurs. Station 6, in this deposition area, had a mean
of 546 Capitella/0.1 m2, Densities at Station 7, the sludge dumpsite
2.8 km E of Station 6, did not indicate gross enrichment (43 Capitella/
grab); however, this could be partly due to the Station 7 sediments
being coarser than those preferred by Capitella. Stations 2.8 km

W, 5.6-5.9 km NW to NE, and 6.8 km SSW of our sludge deposition

station had few or no Capitella, although 72 specimens were found in
the single grab from a station 10.0 km SSW of Station 7. Capitella

was not abundant at any other station.

As discussed under community structure, there is also a fauna,
characteristic of the periphery of the sludge deposition area,

which apparently signals moderate organic enrichment in sediments
more physically or chemically tolerable than in the central sludge
accumulation area. Among the species having high densities in this
zone, the polychaete, Nephtys incisa, gives perhaps the clearest
indication of the zone’s extent (Fig. 32), Nephtys is a relatively
large worm with typical densities of 5 to 30 individuals/0.1 mé in
muddy sediments such as those of the HSV axis. In summer 1980,
densities of up to 140-180/grab were found, in and near the northern
CB. Numbers decreased again to means of 17 at the sludge dumpsite
and three at the sludge deposition station. Assuming that densities of
>100 Capitella/0.1 m2 represent gross organic pollution, and >100
Nephtys imply moderate enrichment, then the former zone (as
determined by planimeter) covered approximately 15 km@ and the enriched
zone, about 200 km¢, Since the area is very heterogeneous, the
periphery assemblage is undoubtedly not uniformly distributed within
the "enriched" zone in Fig. 32, and may occur in places outside that
zone. O'Connor (1981) cites an estimate of >240 km¢ for the enriched
zone which is not based solely on numbers of Nephtys, and may be more
accurate,

Finally, total numbers of species of the relatively sensitive
Amphipoda have been mapped (Fig. 33) to provide another indicator
of distribution of "healthy" vs. "stressed" environments. Again,
the approach is somewhat simplistic; other factors besides stress
contribute to amphipod species richness. Bearing this in mind, we
might define a relatively pristine area as one with >10 amphipod

-72-


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~82-


3.4 PCBs AND PAHs IN BIOTA

3.4.1

. Don Gadbois, NMFS, Gloucester Laboratory, Principal Investigator.
Methods

A sample generally was comprised of tissue from five individuals.

The right side of each individual was skinned, deboned and cut

jnto small pieces. The sample was then homogenized with a Hobart
silent cutter before weighing and freezing. To determine fat content,
samples were blended in pet ether, introduced to a column containing
sodium subate to remove moisture, concentrated to 4 ml and weighed
after the solvent was removed. PCBs were isolated by the AOAC
procedure. Additional cleanup of the concentrated florisil eluant

was performed on deactivated silica gel chromatography to remove analogs
of DDT. The final concentrated eluant was analyzed by gas liquid
chromatography. The instrument used was a Perkin-Elmer Sigma-1

gas chromatograph interfaced to a Sigma-10 data station. The. jas
chromatograph is equipped with an AS-100 autosampler and a Ni63 electron
capture detector. A six foot by 4 mm ID glass column consisting of

1.5 percent SP ~ 2250 and 1.95 percent SP - 2401 on 100/120 mesh
Supelcoport was used for the analysis. The column had an efficiency

of 616 plates per foot. Gas chromatographic conditions were: oven,
200°C; injector, 225°C; detector, 300°C; flow rate through column,

60 mi/minute; analytical time, 40 minutes. The autosampler injected
five ml of the concentrated extract. Standard solutionsused were Aroclor
1016, 1 ppm; Aroclor 1242, 1 ppm; Aroclor 1248, 1 ppm; Aroclor 1254, 1 ppm;
Aroclor 1260, 1 ppm; and various mixtures of Aroclor 1254 and 1260.
Calculation was based on matching key peaks of the unknown to that of
the Aroclor 1254 standard. Our quality control program consisted of
spiking muscle tissue of each species with Aroclor 1254, doing
duplicates, and running a blind control (carp - whole fish) and blanks.

PAH measurements focused on 16 typical compounds:

napthalene
acenaphthylene
acenaphthene
fluorene
phenanthrene
anthracene
fluoranthene
pyrene

benz (a) anthracene
chrysene

benzo (b) fluoranthene

benzo (k) fluoranthene

benzo (a) pyrene

dibenzo (as h) anthracene
benzo (g, h, i) perylene
indeno (1, 2, 3 - c, d) pyrene


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
List of FIQureS .ecesseecereee sence creas Perce mentee teen ees see eeeee . Vv
List of Tables ..........0.0. eeeeee bee e teeter e sete reteteees weet eee secee VIF
Executive Summary ......... Fd
1.0 Introduction .............6. sa eeees weet eee eee detec era er ee eeeeeeeee 1

2.0 Sampling Pattern and Overall Methodology ..........ceeececeseeeeenees 5
3.0 Methods and Results of Specific StudieS wo... cece sce e ete eee eee 7

3.1 Sediment Granulometry, Organic Carbon and Nitorgen (R. Reid) ... 7

3.2 Trace Metals in Sediments and Biota (V. Zdanowicz) ........... ~ =«14
3.3 Organic Contaminants (PCBs, PAHs and Coprostanol) in 32
Sediments (P. Boehm) .....-..ee cece eee eae beeen teense rene eeeee
3.4 PCBs and PAHs in Biota (D. Gabois) .......... Sect ee eee e eee e eee 37
3.5 Microbiology of Sediments and Biota (J. Graikoski) ............ - 46
3.6 Viruses in Sediments and Rock Crabs (S. Goyal) ........-..--0-- ~ 55
3.7 Gill Fouling in Rock Crabs (T. Sawyer) ............ beta teens 59
3.8 Benthic Macrofauna Community Structure (R. Reid) .....-..eeaeee » 63
3.9 ArtifactS\(R. Reid) ......ee cece e ee eee eee eee e cece cence ee eee . 75
4,0 Interdisciplinary. Findings ......cceeeee rece e eerste erate eee t eres - 77

5.0 Discussion and COMCIUSIONS .esececevcreceecercetceeserereseuserereses  Q7
6.0 Acknowledgments ............05. FS » 91

7.0 REFEPENCES Lecce cee c cere e eee entree terete ener eee neeene see eecetenes see 92

-iii-


Table 15. Summary of rock crab, Cancer irroratus, collections and
gill fouling incidence in the New York Bight, July 1980.

Station No. Type No. Males No. Females Total Examined
i Contamin. 12 3 15
2 " 1 2 3
3 " 0 3 3
4 " 0 10 10
5 " 14 VW 25
6 " 5 5 10
52 " 26 5 31
57 " 14 3 7
58 " 4 8 12
26 Control 7 5 12
32 " 1 5 6
341 os" 4 11 15
362 " 58 v7 75
38 " 7 12 29
46} " 40 34 mL

203 134 337

Istations with 1 crab with <50% gill blackening, except for station 46
which had 2.

2Station with 2 crabs with <50% of gills blackened.

-60-


3.5

3.5.1

A condition factor could also be obscuring any tendency of biota
from contaminated areas to show higher PCB body burdens. As
mentioned above, PCBs have an affinity for fats, so composites
with a greater fat content might be expected to accumulate more
PCBs. Murray (1979) found highest PCB values in organs of fish
with the highest lipid levels. In our study, fat and PCB contents
were correlated at the 0.01 significance level for the combined
data on red hake, windowpane and winter flounder (no correlation
was found for the shellfish species). If fat content of the species
examined is somehow inversely related to environmental stress, this
will tend to confound any direct relation between environmental
contamination and PCB body burdens, and could contribute to the
observed absence of dramatically elevated burdens in the inner
Bight.

PAHS

Data are available on concentrations of all 16 PAHs analyzed. For
the sake of brevity, we report (Table 11) only summed values for
all PAHs (with and without phenathrene, since the relatively high
concentrations of this compound often obscured trends in other
PAHs). Values for indeno (- 1, 2, 3, - c, d) pyrene are not
included in Table 1] because peaks were often off the stripchart
scale and because the values are suspect without mass spectral
confirmation,

Highest overall PAH values were found in rock crabs, with a peak
of 2.51 ppm wet weight (almost all phenanthrene) in mid-eastern
LIS. Lobster had next highest residues, ranging from 0,14-0.53
ppm, followed by red hake. The only geographical trend noticed
was a slight tendency for the total PAH (minus phenanthrene) for
all species combined to be highest in and near CB.

MICROBIOLOGY OF SEDIMENTS AND BIOTA

Dr. John Graikoski, NMFS, Milford Laboratory, Principal Investogator.
Methods

All sediments and animals were analysed shortly after collection.
For sediments, the top 1-2 cm of sediment from a grab sample were
removed with a sterile tongue depressor, placed in a sterile bottle,
and kept at 5-7°C until analysis. Procedures for fecal coliform
aterm nation were essentially as described earlier (Babinchak et al.
1977a, b).

The three-tube most probable numbers (MPN) techniques was used, in
EC broth which was incubated at 44.5°C in a circulating water bath.
All dilutions were made volume-to-volume with 0.5% sterile peptone
saline as the diluent. The EC (+) cultures were streaked on Levine

-46-


PEARCE, J. B.
1971. Indicators of solid waste pollution. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 2: il.

1972. The effects of solid waste disposal on benthic communities in the
New York Bight. pp. 404-411. In Ruivo, M. (ed.). Marine Pollution
and Sea Life. Fishing News, Ltd., Surrey, England.

REID, R.
1979. Long-term fluctuations in the mud-bottom macrofauna of Long Island
Sound, 1972-1978. M.A. Thesis, Boston Univ. 36 p.

RICKER, W. E.
1973. Linear regressions in fishery research. J. Fish. Res. Board Can.
30: 409-434.

SAILA, S. B., R. A. PIKANOWSKI, and D. S. VAUGHAN.
1976. Optimum allocation strategies for sampling benthos in the New York
Bight. Estuar. Coastal Mar. Sci. 4: 119-128.

SAWYER, T. K., S. A. MacLEAN, J. £. BODAMMER, and B. A. HARKE.

1979. Gross and microscopial observations on gills of rock crabs (Cancer
irroratus) and lobsters (Homarus americanus) from nearshore waters of
the eastern United States. pp. 68-91. In Lewis, D. H. and J. K. Leong
(eds.). Proceedings of the Second Biennial Crustacean Health Workshop,
Texas A&M Univ.-Sea Grant, 79-114.

SHANNON, C. £. and W. WEAVER.
1963. The Mathematical Theory of Communication. University of Illinois
Press, Urbana, IL. 117 p.

STANDARD METHODS.
1975. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 14th ed.

Washington, DC.

SWARTZ, R. C.
1978. Techniques for sampling and analyzing the marine macrobenthos.
EPA Ecol. Research Series #600/3-78-030. 27 p.

U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
1978. Final environmental impact statement on the ocean dumping of sewage
sludge in the New York Bight.

WALKER, H. A., S. B. SAILA, and E. L. ANDERSON.

1979. Exploring data structure of New York Bight benthic data using
post-collection stratification of samples, and linear discriminant
analysis for species composition comparisons. Estuar. Coastal Mar.
Sci. 9: 101-120.

WALKLEY, A. and I. A. BLACK.
1934. Soil Science 37: 29-38.

-95-


NEW
JERSEY

74

10

nautical miles

30
kilometers

<1
o
9 uP ss &
4. 1 a J. 1
Figure 10. Distribution of Cu (ppm, dry wt.) in surface sediments. “



Table 2. Mean concentrations of seven metals in sediments (ppm, dry wt.) by region,
based on 5-7 replicates/station.

Station ce cr cu Hg Ni Pb Zn

21 0.45 23.67 10.95 <0.0¢ 6.33 33.2 59,7

1 1.18 46.67 43.67 0.35 9.88 66.7 91.2

2 1.15 42.00 38.17 0.37 8.87 60.0 86.3

3 0.95 39.22 34.40 0.15 7.86 52.4 78.8

22 <0.25 8.34 4.46 <0.04 «1.93 15.6 22.7

7 0.54 11.93 14.96 0.06 2.70 30.2 34.0

Region 9 1.47 54,50 $5.84 0.45 14.71 80.3 113.8
H n 0.50 18.08 14.22 0.11 5.97 26.2 37.0
20 <0.25 7.21 5.75 0.07.20 19.5 27.7

6 3.68 65.26 120.82 - 12.52 134.9 228.9

(Apex 10 0.37 18.03 14.86 - 5.34 21.6 35.9
plus 12 <0.25 11.73 3.58 <0.08 «4.63 13.8 27.5
HSv) 44 <0.25 6.16 2.15 <0.0¢ 1.74 7.3 15.9
19 0.30 27.10 5.24 <0.0¢ 4.56 24.7 41.3

43 <0.25 10.35 1.80 <0.0¢ 1.86 7.9 16.1

8 1.77 46.26 60.24 0.04 «14.09 63.1 106.2

18 0.72 34.08 50.61 - 10.38 53.1 72.0

4 0.80 22.64 31.78 0.07 8.44 45.1 63.1

40 1.20 47.72 $7.93 - 17.57 88.6 125.1

13 0.30 23.98 16.00 0.21 9.82 36.1 54.9

16 0.50 27.43 15.11 0.18 11.20 36.2 62.8

7 0.35 16.00 8.27 - 8.93 21.0 42.0

15 0.30 11.81 5.22 <0.04 7.37 15.4 26.5

14 0.25 14.27 4.74 0.ug 8.90 12.8 31.0

5 2.83 75.06 85.06 - 15.81 104.9 156.5

n <0.25 2.35 0.78 <0.04 0.58 4.2 6.6

42 0.36 «17.310 5.19 = 4.29 23.7 $1.1

31 <0.25 1.54 0.23 <0.04 0.51 2.3 3.1

32 <0.25 2.40 0.76 <0.06 0.60 2.5 3.9

33 <0.25 3.22 1.81 <0.08 «1.59 6.3 6.8

35 <0.25 7.33 2.30 <0.06 4.39 8.6 14.3

34 <0.25 6.19 0.85 <0.06 2.31 5.2 8.8

Region 39 <0.25 4.18 1.83 <0.0¢ 0.90 3.3 5.2
ist 29 <0.25 3.14 1.50 = 0.60 3.2 4.6
30 <0.25 5.43 1.59 <0.0¢ 1.96 §.9 12.3

(LI and 38 <0.25 4.43 0.78 <0.04 2.02 4.7 8.4
Nd Shelf )37 <0.25 5.60 0.55 <0.06 1.30 3.5 6.1
36 <0.25 6.16 1.31 - 3.39 5.5 11.8

28 <0.25 2.80 0.87 - 2.38 2.3 7.4

23 <0.25 2.49 0.56 <0.08 960.77 3.4 7.3

26 <0.25 3.38 0.49 -<0.08 «1.31 2.66.1

27 <0.25 2.22 0.52 <0.08 1.32 1.9 4.8

24 <0.25 1.66 0.67 <0.0$ 0.53 3.3 4

25 <0.25 2.39 0.52 0.08 0.72) 2.30041

LIS 5 2.65 98.50 153.50 0.71 29.50 95.0 330.4

Region LIS 8 1.39 63.94 78.84 0.17 18.46 59.4 193.4
HI LISI3 1.08 85.67 111.50 0.39 33.00 85.9 265.0
LIS34 0.62 75.35 87.07 0.24 21.66 45.0 185.1

(Long LIS35 0.68 72.43 103.14 0.24 29.43 49.6 198.8
Island LIS36 0.81 65.79 88.04 0.29 26.41 47.7 207.8
Sound) LIS55 0.45 68.94 66.78 0.22 27.57 43.5 172.0
LIS6S 0.33 43.73 49.69 0.18 19,95 33.4 125.2

LIS65 0.45 56.17 64.67 0.27 23133 38.0 135.0

LIs8s 0.45 47.67 62.14 0.19 23.92 36.1 136.2

-16-


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-28-


7 = —— — ;
74 73
nautical miles
10 20 30
10 30 50 dors

NEW 1
JERSEY

kilometers

L L
apo 86-02

Figure 24.

Clostridium perfringens in top layex of sediments.
Actual values are values shown x 10°. Dots without
values indicate stations where no C. perfringens

were found.


polychaetes, Cossura longocirrata and Tharyx spp., and the
phoronid worm, Phoronis architecta, were also abundant
at most Group B stations.

3) Group A consisted of southernmost CB - northern HSV stations
with less dominance by "periphery" species than in the case
of Group B, and with a more abundant and diverse crustacean
fauna. This area may represent a gradation between the obviously
contaminant-affected faunas of groups G and B and a "natural"
or pre-pollution NY Bight fine-sediment assemblage.

4) Group C (lower HSV) is in turn quite dissimilar from Group A
to the north. This difference could also be contaminant-related.
As discussed above, the innermost HSV station in Group C is the
location where Boesch (in press) noted a sharp drop in con-
centrations of metals coinciding with large increased in populations
of several sensitive amphipod species, especially Ampelisca
agassizi. Station 35 is located in a swale (valley) on the shelf,
rather than in the HSV. Its similarity to the HSV sites in
Group C is largely based on dominance by A. agassizi and other
amphipods. Factors besides lack of contamination undoubtedly
contribute to the uniqueness of Group C. For instance, this is
the only area sampled where deep, cold-water species such as the
echinoderms, Astropecten americanus and Axiognathus squamatus,
appeared,

Faunal Density (N)

Number of individuals (x 1072) of all species combined are shown

for all stations in Fig. 31. Lowest numbers, as a rule, were found
in the relatively coarse sediments along the NJ coast, followed by
the LI midshelf stations, which also had coarse sediments. Densities
were higher on the outer shelf, and were consistently high in samples
from the HSV and from the “periphery assemblage" areas described
above. This pattern follows that for total organic carbon in
sediments (Section 3.1). The greater food supply in the more
depositional, fine-sediment areas must be jargely responsible for the
observed increases in N. Tne sewage sludge deposition site was
unusual in having a high carbon content accompanied by relatively
low N. This is another indication of physical and/or chemical
inhibition of the fauna by sediment constituents at this site.

LIS densities were lower than almost all NYB values, perhaps due
to a similar inhibition in combination with the larger sieve size
used in LIS.

"Indicator" Taxa
As with species diversity, the concept that distributions of certain
pollution-tolerant or sensitive species can be used to delineate

areas of stress has recently been losing favor. There are problems
with the uncritical application of this concept. For instance,

-70-


T T T T T

74 73

nautical miles
10 20

30
kilometers

Figure 12. Distribution of Cr (ppm, dry wt.) in surface sediments.


5.2

Total and fecal coliform bacteria did tend to have higher counts
in animals from the inner Bight. There was no apparent difference
in amount of gill fouling between rock crabs from “contaminated”
and "control" areas, but this may be explained by the small sample
sizes available.

COMPARISONS WITH EARLIER DATA

Data on sediment carbon and heavy metals, and distribution and
abundance of benthic microbes and macrofauna, can be compared to
findings of the 1973-74 MESA surveys and earlier work to search for
temporal changes in severity or extent of habitat alterations.
Comparisons of total organic carbon concentrations measured in 1980
with those reported for 1971 have already been made (Northeast
Monitoring Program 1981). To summarize: maximum concentrations found
in each survey were just over 5% (after correcting for methodological
differences). Distribution of "elevated" concentrations was also
similar, with levels higher than 1% found through most of CB and the
upper HSV during both periods. No major expansion or contraction

of this 1% contour was evident. The Hudson River plume, which
typically hugs the New Jersey coast (Fedosh and Munday 1982) had

no apparent influence on sediment TOC with the possible exception

of higher values off the tip of Sandy Hook in the 1971 survey. (Due
to the combination of sediment patchiness and inexact station
relocation, only major changes in carbon loading would be detectable.)
Analysis of dated long cores may be a better means of examining
temporality of TOC concentrations.

As a rule, concentrations of heavy metals measured in 1980 were higher
than 1973 values but ‘lower than 1974 levels. As with carbon, a good
deal of variability is seen in the data. Some of this is presumably
due to imprecise station relocation, but some must be real small-
scale patchiness (coefficients of variation of up to 47% have been
found among triplicate cores from a single grab, with highest
coefficients generally found in more contaminated areas). It thus
appears that no changes in metal concentrations, separable from the
inter-station and inter-year variability characteristic of the inner
NYB, occurred between 1973-74 and 1980.

A similar conclusion can be drawn from the fecal coliform data. NMFS
and MESA had previously determined fecal coliform counts in sediments
in 1971-75. At those inner Bight stations which were resampled in
1980, patterns of fecal coliform distributions showed little change
from the earlier work.

Comparisons of benthic macrofauna distribution/abundance between
1973-74 and 1980 indicate a possible spread in the area covered by
the dense Nephtys-Nucula assemblage. In 1980, the northern "fringe"
of this assemblage, with densities slightly above background levels
(taken as 10/0.1 m), appeared to be in the vicinity of our station
21, about 13 km NNW of the sludge dumpsite (see Fig. 1). A dense
assemblage was present at station 3, »7 km N of the dumpsite. In
1973-74 there had been no evidence of enrichment at station 21, and
station 3 appeared to be near the fringe of the zone. There was also

-88-


For many of these reasons, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
has been studying contaminant fates and effects in the NYB since the

Tate 1960s. In 1972 NOAA established the Marine Ecosystems Analysis
(MESA)-New York Bight Project, to review existing data on the NYB, to
support studies to fill gaps in our understanding of the ecosystem and
contaminant influences on it, and to design a program to monitor the
NYB's condition. MESA's recommendations for monitoring centered on annual
sampling of selected ecosystem components. Late summer was recommended
for sampling; since the water column is relatively quiescent and scouring
of the bottom is minimal at that time, areal distribution of contaminated
materials should be greatest. It was also thought important to document
conditions at the time when recreational use of the NYB was at a peak.

Variables identified by MESA as being effective monitoring tools include:

1) Trace metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) in selected fin- and shellfish species.! These

contaminants should be monitored because of both possible ecosystem impacts

and human health concerns (many are toxic when consumed in sufficient
quantity; PCBs are suspected mutagens and carcinogens; PAHs are among
the most toxic of hydrocarbons, and include mutagenic compounds).

2) Presence of pathogens (fecal streptococcus, Clostridium perfringens,
Salmonella and Klebsiella spp.) and indicators of contamination

(total and fecal coliforms), in the shellfish, largely to assess
threats to human health;

3) Trace metals, PCBs, PAHs and coprostanol (the latter a sterol
indicative of human sewage) in sediments, to determine whether
contamination is increasing or spreading;

4) Fecal coliform bacteria, total organic carbon and human artifacts
(such as tomato seeds) in sediments - these can indicate the presence
of sewage sludge or other sewage-related materials;

5) Gill fouling in the rock crab - fouling by protozoans or foreign
material may be another indication of anthropogenic contamination,
and may also have implications for the health of populations of this
ecologially important. species;

ISpecies recommended by MESA were winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes
americanus), windowpane flounder (Scophthalmus aquosus), summer flounder
Paralichthys dentatus), lobster (Homarus americanus), sea scallop
(Placopecten magellanicus), and rock crab (Cancer irroratus). All these
species are commercially sought and consumed by humans to at least some
extent (except for windowpane, which is used mostly in a "trash", or
industrial fishery). The flounders and lobster are also taken
recreationally. The scallop is a filter feeder which integrates and may con-
centration water column contaminants. The remaining species are higher
trophic level demersal or benthic feeders; they should reflect, and perhaps
bioaccumulate, contaminants from the benthic organisms and/or sediments
which serve as a Sink for these contaminants. In practice, summer flounder
could not be found over most of the study area, so red hake (Urophycis
chuss), another demersal feeder with commercial and recreational uses, was
substituted.

-3-


7 a 73°

nautical miles
30

10 30 50
kilometers

cro sence

Figure 31. Wumbers of individuals (x 1072) per 0.1 m at
New York Bight stations.

-71-


4.0 INTERDISCIPLINARY FINDINGS

To explore relationships between data sets, a correlation matrix was
established using 29 variables pertaining to station location, benthic
macrofauna, sediment composition and contaminants. Those variables having
correlations which were significant at the 95% or higher level, using

all LIS and NYB data, are shown in Table 17. (The faunal data are for
NYB only, since a different sieve size was used in LIS.)

Sediment-benthic macrofauna correlations were generally weaker than those
discussed below between sediments and contaminants. This was not unexpected;
although sediment characteristics are known to strongly influence distribution
and abundance of most benthic species (see review by Gray 1974) biological
responses are complex, and many other physical and chemical factors,

including contaminants, can be important. Overall faunal densities had
fairly high correlations with fine sediments, TOC and TKN (r = .51 to .73,

p <.01). This must be partly due to the greater food supplies found in

fine sediments generally, and especially in the enriched zone in the upper

CB. The correlation of densities of Nucula proxima, and to a lesser extent
Nephtys incisa, to the same sediment variables reflects the association

of these species with the enriched zone. The anthozoan Ceriantheopsis
americanus also had elevated densities in this zone, but was common in coarser
sediments throughout NYB as well, and so was not strongly correlated with

fine sediments, carbon or nitrogen. Numbers of amphipod and crustacean species
had moderate negative correlations with these variables, which may indicate
both sediment preferences and contaminant effects (see below).

Species diversity showed weak but significant negative correlations with
coarse silt, TOC and TKN. Equitability, or evenness of distribution of
individuals among species (a component of diversity), correlated with these
plus fine silt and clay. Species richness, being low in clean coarse sediments
and in muddy enriched areas, was not linked to any of the sediment variables.

There were some interesting relationships between contaminants and biota.
Diversity and equitability had highly significant (p <.01) negative correlations
to all contaminants except Hg {where p = .05). Some of this is due to

the association of contaminants with fine sediments, but the fact that
correlations to contaminants were higher than to sediments indicates a

separate contaminant effect. A direct contaminant effect on species richness

is also evident, since S had significant negative correlations with five

metals but not with fine sediments. Amphipod and crustacean species richness
behaved like diversity, with stronger negative correlations to contaminants

than to fine sediments. Overall faunal densities were weakly but positively
related to contaminants; again, high densities in the enriched zone con-
tributed to this. Correlations of Hg to fauna differed from those for other
metals; mercury was not significantly related to species richness (overall,
amphipod or crustacean), and weakly related to density, diversity and equitability.
It was, however, the only contaminant highly correlated (p <.01) to densities

of Nucula and Nephtys.

-77-


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

~ In July 1980, as part of its Northeast Monitoring Program. NOAA's National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Oceanic and Atmospheric Services began
a program of annual (summer) surveys of bottom sediments and organisms to
monitor fates and effects of contaminants in the New York Bight. This
report discusses the rationale, objectives and methodology, and results of the
first survey.~The sampling plan was largely developed by NOAA's Marine
EcoSystems Analysis-(MESA) program. Forty-four stations were sampled; 23
of these had been occupied in the 1973-74 surveys of the inner Bight which
had been conducted by NMFS for MESA.< The following measurements were made:
sediment grain size; sediment concentrations of total organic carbon, total
Kjeldahl nitrogen, coprostanol, heavy metals, polynuclear aromatic hydro-
carbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); trace metals, PAHs and
PCBs in muscle of sea scallop, rock crab, lobster, red hake, winter and
windowpane flounder$:. distribution/abundance of benthic macrofauna, human
artifacts (such as tomatd and melon seeds), viruses, and pathogenic and
sewage-indicator bacteria; and the occurrence of gill-clogging agents in
rock crabs.

For those variables which had been studied previously in the Bight, our
results were in general agreement with the earlier work. Fine sediments

were largely confined to the Christiaensen Basin and Hudson Shelf Valley.
Concentrations of sediment contaminants were highly correlated with percentages
of fine material in the sediments. Contaminant concentrations reached maxima
in the sewage sludge accumulation area and at the dredge spoil dumpsite.
Secondary maxima were often seen in the “Mud Hole" in the upper Hudson Shelf
Valley. Contaminants in demersal biota did not appear to be in concentrations
sufficient to cause concern for human health; body burdens were elevated
compared to reported concentrations outside the Bight, however. Within our
sampling area, there were usually no significant differences

between levels of contaminants in tissues from the more contaminated inner
bight and from cleaner offshore sites.

Pathogenic and sewage-indicator bacteria were more prevalent in shellfish
from contaminated portions of the inner Bight. Indicator bacteria and viruses
in sediments followed patterns similar to those for sediment contaminants.
Incidence of gill fouling in rock crabs was lower than in previous studies,
but this was in part related to our small sample sizes. Notable features

of benthic macrofauna distribution/abundance included a smal] but highly
impacted area, centered just west of the sewage sludge dumpsite, dominated

by the classic organic enrichment indicators, the polychaetes Capitella spp.;
an "enriched" zone surrounding this area and covering much of Christiaensen
Basin, characterized by a paucity of crustaceans and high densities of

several polychaetes, a small bivalve and an anthozoan; and an apparently
unaffected amphipod-dominated assemblage which first appeared 45-50 km SE

of the dumpsites, in the mid-Hudson Shelf Valley.

-ix-


species in Fig. 33 ~ this included the HSV from the first
"uncontaminated" station (15) seaward, and much of the middle
and outer shelf. Amphipods gradually decreased moving toward
the New Jersey coast (presumably largely because of physical
stresses) and CB.

Most CB and other inner apex stations had only 1-2 amphipod species
per grab. This agrees with the observations of Boesch (in press) and
earlier studies that peracarid crustaceans are conspicuously rare
throughout this area. Poor environmental quality must be partly
responsible for the scarcity of the peracarids.

3.9 ARTIFACTS

3.9.1

3.9.2

Mr. Robert Reid, NMFS, Sandy Hook Laboratory, Principal Investigator.

Methods

Artifacts were removed from the grab samples along with the benthic
macrofauna. Only tomato and melon seeds were enumerated, Amounts

of Spartina-type detritus were also noted. Total weights of artifacts
in each sample were determined to the nearest 0.01 g after blotting
dry for five minutes.

Results

Highest total weight of artifacts was at station 18 (about midway
between Sandy Hook and the dredge spoil dumpsite) where the single
sample analyzed contained several large pieces of glass and metal.
Next greatest weights were found at the sewage sludge accumulation
and release areas, respectively, followed by the dredge spoil dumpsite.
Spartina-type detritus was the predominant "artifact" at this latter
station. Smaller quantities of detritus were-also recorded from
areas immediately east (station 4) and northeast (station 1) of this
dumpsite. Spartina detritus may therefore be a qualitative tag for
some types of dredge material, although there must also be input

of this detritus from the estuary.

Tomato seeds were considered by Pearce (1971) to be excellent indicators
of sewage sludge. Their distribution in our samples (Fig. 34) is
consistent with this. Numbers of seeds were highest at the sludge
dumpsite and accumulation area, and at station 1 in the “enriched”
faunal zone in the northern CB. Lower seed densities were found at
the dredged material dumpsite and at several stations toward the
estuary mouth. This pattern augments those for such variables as
coprostanol and Nephtys in defining the extent of spread of dumped
sludge, although again, the estuary (and dumping of dredged materials)
could add smaller quantities of seeds.

-75-


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-86-


Table 13, Bacteriological analyses on animals from the New York Bight.

Total Fecal E. coli Fecal Clostridium

Station Animal Coliform Coliform ( No. ) streptococcus perfringens:
(MPN/g) (MPN/g) isolates Pp C

1 Crab 2,300 45 + 3 + NA NA
Lobster 1 1,200 NA NA NA + + +
" "2 1,200 NA NA NA + + 0
"3 1,200 NA NA NA + + +
" "4 >12,000 NA + 1 + + 0
" Crab 1,200 NA NA NA + + 0
10 Lobster 1] + + Citrobacter + + +
" u 2 + + + NA + + +
" " 3 + + No ID + + +
" "4g + + + 1 + + 0
" m5 + + NA NA + NA NA
35 Crab ] >12,000 NA NA NA + + 0
" "2 215 <15 NA NA + + +
" "3 12,000 1,200 + 2 + + +
36 Scallop 1 1,200 <15 NA NA + + +
" "2 1,200 <15 NA NA 0 + +
" "3 2,300 <15 NA NA 0 + +
38 Crab 1 5,500 <15 NA NA + + +
" "2 70 <15 NA NA + + +
" "3 120 <15 NA NA + + +
40 Scallop 1 465 <15 NA NA + + +
" "2 5,500 <15 NA NA + + +
" "3 5,500 <15 NA NA + + +
" "4 >12,000 <15 NA NA + + 0
" "5 1,200 QC. freydii NA + + +
" "6 1,200 <15 ~ NA NA + NA NA
49 Scallop 17 115 NA NA NA 0 + +
" "2 115 NA NA NA 0 + +
" "3 465 NA NA NA 0 + +
S. Ambrose Crab 1 >12,000 <15 NA NA + + +
" "2 >12,000 45 + 2 + + +
" "3 >12,000 45 + 3 + + +
" Lobster 1 2,300 <15 NA NA + + +
" "2 1,200 20 NA NA + + +
" "3 5,500 90. NA NA + 0 0
" "4 1,200 20 + ] + + +

1p = presumptive; C = confirmed; NA = not analysed; Q = questionable,

-54-


—

74°
FC-MPN/100 ml
@ 23,000
@ 1,200
@ 105
@ 45
2 20

° 15
o <15

NEW
JERSEY

a

°
! oe
a : ° é
<
S &
n os 4. id J. 1 uM
Figure 23.

nautical miles
10 20

10 30 50
kilometers

Fecal coliforms in top layer of sediments.

apo sA6-ca


74° 73°

nautical miles
10 20

SSS eS
10 30 50 ho
kilometers sana

Figure 5. Distribution of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (mg/g dry wt.)
in surface sediments. ~-

12


7° 73°

nautical miles
10 20 30

SSS SS f
30 50 }
10 lon ars ane
a
141° NEW = A
YORK 0:20, SUI

ay

“e

= L Z 1 n

ao sgs02s

Figure 19. Wet weight values for PCBs (ppm)/% body fat in rock crab.

ae


measured in any species was 1.08 ppm in a lobster composite

from station 9 in the lower CB (Fig. 18). All other composites

of the target species contained <0.63 ppm PCBs. Values in winter
flounder (Fig. 22) ranged from 0.11-0.56 ppm, with the highest
concentration found ~21 km off eastern Long Island. Windowpane
flounder body burdens (Fig. 20) had a slightly greater range, from
0.06-0.63 ppm. All values for red hake (Fig. 17) were <0.1 ppm
except for 0.34 ppm at a mid-shelf station off eastern Long Island.
PCBs in scallops (Fig. 21) were very low or undetectable, with all
values <0.04 ppm. Scallops could not be found in the inner New
York Bight; they will be replaced by another species in future

sampling.

The target species available in LIS also showed no consistent
patterns of PCB burdens. The rock crab composite from the more
contaminated western end had a higher concentration than did any
of the Bight crab composites, and crabs from the mid eastern sound
had a medium level (Fig. 19), On the other hand, windowpane flounder
from western LIS had the lowest level recorded for that species,
while a concentration more typical of those found in the Bight was
measured at the eastern LIS station (Fig. 20). Lobsters (Fig. 18)
and winter flounder (Fig. 22) from both eastern and western LIS
had low levels. Moderate concentrations were found in red hake
from eastern LIS (Fig. 17).

The lack of a consistent pattern of higher body burdens in more
contaminated areas may be related to the mobility of the species
sampled, It is possible, though conjectural, that a large proportion
of the measured body burdens is acquired in the inner NYB or other
contaminated areas, but that the migratory nature of most megafauna
(and/or of their prey) yields the observed pattern of low body burdens
across large areas of the shelf. Boehm (1980a), reporting results

of a broader-scale survey of PCBs and petroleum hydrocarbons in

shelf biota off the northeastern United States, similarly noted low- _
level contamination throughout the region, and the absence of high
values, in contaminated areas or elsewhere. (Murray [1979] has

also documented widespread presence of PCBs in areas remote from
point-source contamination, in England and Wales.) Concentrations
measured in the present survey were, however, generally at least

an order of magnitude higher than Boehm's (1980a) reported values,

if the latter are converted from dry to approximate wet weight by
dividing by 5.

Qur values are in better agreement with those of MacLeod et al. (1981),
which included more samples from the apex than did Boehm's (1980a)
Bight analyses. Both the MacLeod et al. survey and ours reported
similar low concentrations of PCBs in scallops (<0.04 ppm). Our
values for rock crabs and windowpane flounder were about 1-2 times,
winter flounder 1-5 times, and lobster 2-10 times levels found by
MacLeod et al. (1981).

~45-


: 74° : 73°

nautical miles

10 30 50
kilometers

P41

>15

NEW
JERSEY

Figure 33. Numbers of species of amphipod crustaceans per 0.1 m.

-74-


3.1

3.1.1

3.1.2

3.0 METHODS AND RESULTS OF SPECIFIC STUDIES
SEDIMENT GRANULOMETRY, ORGANIC CARBON AND NITROGEN

Mr. Robert Reid, NMFS, Sandy Hook Laboratory, Principal Investigator.
Methods

Grain size analysis of coarse sediments was based on a dry-
sieving method (Ingram 1971). Pipette analysis (Galehouse 1971)
was used for fines. Total organic carbon (TOC) was determined via
a modified Schollenberger chromic acid oxidation technique
(Walkley and Black 1934; Holme and McIntyre 1971), with 75-90%
TOC recovery. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) was measured by
digestion/distillation followed by colorimetric determination
(Standard Methods 1975).

Results

Values for the sediment variables analyzed are listed in Table 1.
Grain size distributions have been presented in more detail
elsewhere (Freeland et al. 1976; Freeland and Swift 1978). The
summer 1980 data are included here chiefly for correlation with
contaminant and biological variables. Distributions of silt
(4-64 um), clay (<4 ym), TOC and TKN are shown in Figs, 2-5,
respectively.

The TOC distribution shows the previously documented pattern of
higher concentrations in relatively depositional, fine-sediment
areas such as the Christiaensen Basin (which is near the dumpsites)
and the axis of the HSV (Gross 1976). The highest value in the
Bight (34.0 mg/g) was found »4 km south of the dredge spoil dumpsite.
Most stations in sandy shelf areas had <1.0 mg/g TOC. The major
exceptions were 12.0 at the station closest to western Long Island,
3.4-14.0 between the northern New Jersey shore and the dumpsites,
and 3.4-3.9 at stations 34 and 35, which are both located more than
40 km off eastern Long Island. The correlation between fine
sediments and TOC is demonstrated in Fig. 6 (correlation coefficient
r = 0.79). Areas in which TOC was most elevated relative to percent
clay were in the northern Christiaensen Basin: station 6, where
much of the sewage sludge is ultimately deposited, and the nearby
stations 9 and 40. (LIS data are not plotted; these sediments, with
greater percentages of clay [9-39%] than the NYB sites, had
consistently high TOC levels, ranging from 20-37 mg/g.)

A comparison of the NYB TOC data with concentrations measured in
the inner NYB in 1971 and earlier years (Gross 1976) was presented
in the Northeast Monitoring Program (1981) Annual Report. After
correcting for methodological differences, no major changes in con-
centrations or distribution were noted in the high TOC area; the
method is not sensitive enough to detect more subtle trends (see
Section 5).

-7-


Vibrio spp. - Enrichments were in alkaline peptone broth with
incubation at 37°C for 8-18 hours. Cultures were streaked
onto TCBS agar to obtain isolated colonies for identification.

Speciation of all isolates was done by the API system.
Results
Sediments

Fecal Coliforms - Results of the fecal coliform analysis are
shown in Fig. 23 and listed in Table 12, Fecal coliforms were
detected in the top sediments from 9 of the 43 stations. Counts
in the sediments ranged from less than 15 per 100 ml sediment, the
lowest number detectable by our MPN procedure, to 23,000, the
latter obtained. from the sewage sludge dump area (station 7).

The numbers and pattern of distribution were similar at those
stations which were sampled in our previous studies in 1971-1975
(Babinchak et al. 1977a).

The detection of fecal coliform in sediments by direct enrichment
paralleled that obtained by the MPN procedure, with two exceptions,
At station 3 the sediments were positive by the MPN procedure but
negative by direct enrichment. At station 43 the reverse was true.
These results would support the validity of directly inoculating EC
broth with sediment dilutions and incubating at 44,5°C for the
detection of fecal coliforms.

E, coli - approximately 80 cultures were obtained for speciation.

Of the 80 isolates, 41 of the 47 colonies showing morphology
characteristics of E. coli on EMB agar plates were identified

as E. coli (Table 12) by the API procedure. Isolates from 15

purple colonies yielded 6 E. coli. The other isolates tested were
Klebsiella spp. or not identified in the API profile index. All
positive EC tubes yielded E. coli. Incubation of sediments in EC
medium at 44.5°C would appear to be highly specific for the detection
of E. coli, the positive indicator of fecal pollution.

Clostridium perfringens - The enrichment of sediments from al]
stations for C, perfringens yielded colonies on egg yolk agar which
could be presumptively identified as C. perfringens. Final
confirmation was not done on all isolates, so some of the sediments
may be questionable for the organism. However, more sediments
yielded C. perfringens (Figure 24, Table 12) than fecal coliforms

as determined in the EC medium. This would indicate that C. perfringens
is a more effective indicator of sewage contamination than are the
fecal coliforms. The higher plate counts for C. perfringens obtained
in the sediments also had higher fecal coliforms as determined by
the MPN procedure. Not enough comparisons were made, however, to
establish these comparisons definitely.

~49-


List of Figures, continued

Figure Number Title of Figure Page
18, PCBs (ppm) and percent body fat in lobster. 40
19, PCBs (ppm) and percent body fat in rock crab. 4]
20. PCBs (ppm) and percent body fat in windowpane

flounder. 42
21. PCBs (ppm) and percent body fat in sea scallop. 43
22, PCBs (ppm) and percent body fat in winter

flounder. 44
23. Fecal coliforms in top layer of sediments. 50
24, Clostridium perfringens in top layer of sediments. 52
25. Methodology for determination of viruses in

sediments, 57
26. Distribution of viruses in sediments. 58
27. Numbers of species per 0.1 mm, 64
28, Shannon-Weaver species diversities per 0.1 me. 66
29, Dendrogram showing similarity of species

compositions at New York Bight stations. 68
30. Distribution of cluster-derived species groups. 69
31. Numbers of individuals (x 1072) per 0.1 me. 70
32. Abundance of Nephtys incisa in inner New York Bight. 72
33. Numbers of species of amphipod crustaceans per

0.1 m2. 73
34, Numbers of tomato seeds per 0.1 me, 75
35, Results of principal components analysis of

54 New York Bight and Long Island Sound stations,

based on sediment and contaminant variables. 84
36. Results of canonical correlation analysis of

43 New York Bight stations (station 8 omitted

to enhance separation of groups). 85

-Vi-


a : 73° ,

nautical miles
10 a 30

10 30 50
kilometers

&

; &
1 1 Z f j

Figure 28. Shannon-Weaver species diversities per 0.1 m,


74

nautical miles

10 30
kilometers

Se

Figure 11. Distribution of Zn (ppm, dry wt.) in surface sediments.

21+



74 ,

nautical miles

10 2

/ . : ; , SY
4 oe

40 A .

I aS a - a a
JERSEY 7 Low ;
ny

10 30 30
kilometers

40° v

'f

Figure 27.

Numbers of species per 0.1m’. Values are means where —
replicate grabs were processed (see Figure 1).

NYB
data are based on 0.5 mm sieves, and LIS values on
1.0 mm.


Sediment

Suspend in 3 volumes of 3% beef
extract solution, pH 10.5;
shake vigorously for 5 min and
then spin at 500 x g for 10 min

Discard sediment

y
Lower the pH of the supernatant (primary eluate)
to 3.5 with the use of | M glycine, pH 1.5

v
Spin at 500 x g for 5min
Discard supernatant
Elute the sedimented material by

dissolving in 5-10 ml of 0.05 M glycine, pH 11.0
(the pH of the mixture should be >9. 5)

Spin at 900 x g for 20 min

¢

Pass the supernatant through an 05S filter,
add antibiotics to the filtrate, and assay

Discard sediment

Figure 25. Methodology for determination of viruses in sediments.


3.2 TRACE METALS IN SEDIMENTS AND BIOTA

Mr. Jay O'Reilly and Mr. Vincent Zdanowicz, NMFS, Sandy Hook
Laboratory, Principal Investigators.

3.2.1 Methods

All reagents used in sample digestions were Analyzed Grade and
suitable for trace metal determinations. Deionized (DI) water
was of 18 megohmcm purity. Instrumental determinations (except
Hg) were done on a Perkin-Elmer Model 5000 Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer using an air-acetylene flame. Mercury
determinations were done using a Perkin-Elmer Model 50A Mercury
Analyzer and strip-chart recorder.

Tissues

Muscle tissue was excised from animals using stainless steel
implements and composited for analysis. Animals were either
dissected at sea and the tissues of interest stored individually
in acid-rinsed polyethylene vials and frozen immediately, or were
frozen whole in plastic bags for subsequent dissection at the
jaboratory.

For multi-element digestion, muscle sections of approximately

equal mass were removed from 3 to 6 animals of a particular species,
(providing a total of »10 g), placed into 50 mi glass Erlenmeyer
flasks and dried for 16-20 hours at 105°C. To the dried composite

in each flask were added 10 ml concentrated HNO3. Flasks were heated
slowly (70°C) on ceramic hot plates until foaming subsided and a
highly viscous, organic-rich substance remained. Temperatures were
increased until the samples had been charred black. They were then
cooled, 2 ml concentrated HNO3 added and charred again. This was
repeated until only a fine white ash remained in the flasks, signaling
complete digestion. The samples were filtered (Whatman #4) using 5%
HNO3, and the volume adjusted to 15 ml in acid-rinsed polystyrene
centrifuge tubes. Reagent blanks received identical treatment.
Samples prepared in this manner were analyzed immediately for silver,
then for the remaining metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn).

For Hg digestion, individual tissue samples of 300 to 700 mg were
placed into glass culture tubes to which 10 ml of 4:1 conc. H2S0q:
conc. HNO3 were added. The tubes were heated (70°C) in a water bath
until a clear yellow solution was obtained. They were cooled, placed
in an ice bath, and further oxidized by addition of 15 ml of 5% KMn0q
(w/v in DIH20), Reagent blanks and calibration standards received tne
same treatment. Samples were analyzed using a modification of the
flameless vaporization technique of Hatch and Ott (1968). Analyses
were run on a Perkin-Elmer Model 50A Mercury Analyzer connected to

a strip-chart recorder. A working calibration curve was used to quantify
mercury concentrations in the samples.

-14-


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-31-


Table 12. Fecal coliforms in top layer of bottom sediments - New York Bight.
Station FC/100 ml Sediments E. coli? C. perfringens
number sediment Enrichments Enrichment No./gram
Ss EC
1 15 + + + + NAY
2 15 + + + + NA
3 20 + 0 NA + NA
4,5 <15 + 0 NA + 6x102~5x103
6 1,200 + + + + 1.1x106
7 23,000 + + + + 1.1x108
8 45 NA NA NA + 1.3x10°
9 105 + + + + 3.7x104
10 <15 + ) NA + NA
nN 45 NA NA NA NA 1.8x108
12-21 <15 + 0 NA + NA
22 45 NA NA NA + >3.6x10"
23-40 <15 + 0 NA Qs NA
4] <15 + 0 +3 Q NA
43 <15 + + NA + 9.3x104
44 NA + + + + NA

ILST Broth 35°C 48 hours
EC broth 44.5°C 24-28 hours

2EMB isolates by API speciation - Total number tested 80 - EMB positive 47,
E. coli speciation 41

3From LST Broth

4NA = Not analysed

5Q = Questionable

-51-


T TS T

nautical miles
0 30

|
10 30 50 onan
kilometers

yy
Ss s s
, ;

Figure 7. Distribution of Hg (ppm, dry wt.) in surface sediments.

-17-


Principal components analysis (Orloci et al. 1979) was performed using
untransformed data to generate a reduced number of new variates which

would efficiently describe the multivariate data set and identify station
groups or data clusters. We used trace metal, TOC, TKN, and sediment

size data from the NYB and LIS areas (54 stations). PCB, PAH and
coprostanol data were not used because only two stations in LIS were sampled
for these variables. Separation on the X-axis (factor 1 in Fig. 35) was
based heavily on % silt, TKN, Ni and TOC, and moderately on contributions
from Zn, Cr and Cu. Factor 1, essentially a “sediment component", represented
80.4% of the variance of the input. Separation along the Y-axis (factor 2,
13.5% of input variability) was based mostly on Cd and Pb and may be called
a "pollutant component".

Canonical correlation analysis (Orloci et al. 1979) was subsequently performed
after running principal components analysis on 37 NYB stations having a
complete suite of sediment and contaminant measurements (station 8 was

omitted to enhance separation of groups). This treatment relates the

grouping information derived from the principal components analysis to the
sediment and contaminant data, and tests the strength of separation of the
principal components groups. Results (Fig. 36) indicated that stations fell
into four distinct groups: 1) the sludge dumpsite and accumulation area;

2) the dredge spoil disposal area and upper HSV; 3) north and west CB;

and 4) all other stations. No strong statements can be made on the statistical
significance of these groupings, since the groups contain highly unequal
numbers of stations. This will be corrected in future sampling by occupying
more stations near the dumpsites.

-84-


3.4.2

A slightly modified version of the method of Dunn and Armour

(1980) was used for sample extraction. Each sample was digested

at reflux in ethanolic potassium hydroxide. The extract was
displaced into toluene and eluted over a column of 5 percent
deactivated Florisil covered with sodium sulfate. The sample

was then displaced into dimethylsulfoxide and partitioned between
dimethylsulfoxide and isooctane. The isooctane layer was washed
with water, dehydrated, and displaced back into 0.5 ml dimethyl-
sulfoxide. To this, 1.5 ml acetonitrile was added and the sample
was analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography, using a
Perkin-Elmer unit including a Series 3B pump module, a LC 100
column oven, and a Model 420 autosampler. A Supelco LC PAH column
with internal diameter of 4,6 millimeters and length of 25 centi-
meters, with particle size of 5 wy was used as the analytical column.
Detection was accomplished by a Perkin-Elmer Model 3000 fluorescence
spectrometer. The output of the UV detector was connected to a
Perkin-Elmer 023 chart recorder. The output of the fluorescence
detector was connected to a Sigma 10 Data Station.

Chromatograms were obtained by the following linear solvent program.
A solvent of 40 percent acetonitrile and water was used for the
first 5 minutes. The acetonitrile content was increased linearly
to 99.9 percent over 30 minutes and was held at 99.9 percent for
another 20 minutes. The column was then brought to a 40 percent
content of acetonitrile and water at a linear gradient for 5 minutes
and equilibrated for 15 minutes in preparation for another run.

A flow rate of 1.0 millimeter per minute and an oven temperature of
30°C were used. The UV detector was run at 254 nanometers and the
fluorescence detector at 280 nanometers excitation and 389 nanometers
emission. Inputs on the recorder and Sigma 10 were 10 millivolts.

Results
PCBs

PCB concentrations in muscle tissue (ppm, wet weight) for each of

the six species are given in Figs. 17-22, along with percent fat

(for which PCBs have a strong affinity) in the tissue. In general,
PCB values were low relative to the recommended maximum level for
human consumption (5 ppm), and were not consistently related to

levels in sediments or to areas of contaminant input. Statistically
significant differences (two-tailed "t" test) between concentrations
found in the "contaminated" or inner New York Bight area and levels
outside this area were found for rock crab (p <0.01) and perhaps
windowpane flounder (p = 0.148 for untransformed data, assuming
normality; p = 0.047 for log-transformed). Concentrations in lobsters
from the inner Bight were higher than in the single outer Bight sample,
but no statistical tests could be run. The highest concentrations


Sediment contaminant loads correlated strongly with physical characteristics
of the sediments, This was expected, given the affinity of contaminants

for fine particles with large surface:volume ratios and high TOC contents.
Mean grain size (on the phi scale, so correlations are actually inverse) and
amounts of coarse (16-64 um) and fine (4-16 um) silt correlated at the 0.01
significance level with all metals. The clay (<4 um) fraction correlated
with all metals except Cd. PAHs were highly correlated (r = .80) with clay
and significantly (p = .05) with fine silt and mean grain size. PCBs showed

a different pattern, correlating at the .01 level with coarse silt and

at .05 with clay, but not significantly with fine silt or mean grain size.
TOC and TKN were strongly interrelated (r = .95). They had moderate to

high correlations (r >.59) with all contaminants except for lower but still
significant values for TKN with Cd and PCB. Coprostanol did not correlate
significantly with any of the grain size variables. The unanticipated stronger
relationship of most contaminants to coarse silt than to clay may be explained
by the higher correlation of TOC to coarse silt than to clay in our samples.

For a closer inspection of effects of various sediment types and TOC levels
on contaminant correlations, we also constructed correlation matrices

(Tables 18-21) for the same four subareas discussed in Section 3, Metals

in Sediments: (overall NYB; apex and HSV; Long Island and New Jersey shelf;
LIS). This permitted evaluation of effects of differing sediment types and
TOC levels on correlations with contaminants. Correlations for individual
subareas were generally lower and less significant statistically than those in
the overall matrix. The lower significance is partly due to the smaller
number of samples taken in each subarea.

Lowest correlations were found in the very silty LIS sediments (Table 18).
There the only significant coefficients were for mean grain size: TOC and
TKN, and for intercorrelations between metals. No significant correlations
existed between sediment sizes and contaminants; between coarse silt, fine
silt or clay fractions of sediments and TOC or TKN; or between metals and
organic contaminants. The low correlations reflect the fact that all
sediments sampled in LIS had similar amounts of silt/clay (81-97%), but
wider ranges of contaminant concentrations. Also, due to the smal] number
of samples available (<10), correlations would have to be quite high to

be statistically significant.

For the NYB subarea (Table 19), most correlations were only slightly lower
and/or less significant than for the entire NYB plus LIS data set. Exceptions
were the higher correlation of PCBs anc Cd with fine sediment, Cd with

other metals, and PAHs with metals, in NYB than in the overall data.

The apex/HSV subarea (Table 20), characterized by silty sand sediments
with the highest contaminant concentrations in NYB, had lower correlations
among variables except for stronger links between PCBs and fine sediments,
and PAHs and metals. Finally, correlations for the sandy sediments of the
LI-NJ shelf subarea (Table 21) were also weaker than for the overall study
area except for stronger relationships among amounts of coarse silt, fine
silt and clay.

-79-


Table 14,

Vibrio and related species in animals - New York Bight.!

. No. of
Species animals Isolates
Lobster 12 27 - Vibrio alginolyticus

4 - Vibrio cholerae (NA)
Crab 8 9 - Vibrio parahaemolyticus

5 - Vibrio alginolyticus or V. cholerae (NA)
Scallop 12 2 - Lactose (+) hydrophilic

3 - Aeromonas hydrophilia

7 - Pseudomonas spp.

1 - Chromobacter

_12_- Non-identified
Total 70

lAnimals were from stations 1, 9, 10, 35, 36, 38, 40, 49, and a station

added just west of station 28,

~56-


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-25-


1.0 INTRODUCTION

The New York Bight (NYB-Fig. 1) is an important natural resource for
millions living in the densely populated areas which border it. Commercial
shipping and fishing, and recreational swimming, fishing and boating, are
among its most important uses. The Bight also serves as a receptacle for
large quantities of barged sewage sludge and dredge spoils, and wastes
introduced via the Hudson-Raritan estuarine system. Other estuaries,
vessel discharges, local outfalls and atmospheric fallout are additional
pollutant sources (Gross 1976).

These contaminant inputs have made the NYB one of the world's most heavily
polluted open coastal water bodies. Some effects of this contamination

have been clearly documented: buildup of organic carbon and metals in sediments;
altered benthic (bottom) communities consisting of a few pollution-tolerant
species; increased incidence of finrot compared to less impacted areas;

closure of shellfishing grounds due to high bacterial counts; and development

of tolerance to high concentrations of trace metals and antibiotics in

some bacteria (Swanson 1977).

Contamination of the NYB may be leading to other, more subtle effects,
although here the data are less conclusive. Waste inputs have definitely
promoted eutrophication of the inner Bight and associated estuaries. This
eutrophication may contribute to dissolved oxygen reductions, which are
sometimes accompanied by mortalities of valuable fin- and shellfish.
Migratory routes of some species may be altered, Uptake of contaminants

by biota could lead to effects at the population level, to the spread of
contaminants beyond the NYB, or to possible health hazards to humans consuming
large quantities of fin- or shellfish. Introduction of pathogens could have
impacts on consumers (and swimmers) beyond those noted above as associated
with shellfish bed closures.

To manage effectively the NYB and its resources, it is therefore essential
to increase our understanding of fates and effects of contaminants.

Ideally, we should quantify the relative contributions of estuarine runoff,
sewage sludge, dredged materials and background sources of pollution to the
levels of sediment contamination and biological effects measured in the
Bight. The extent to which the Hudson Shelf Valley (HSV), extending from
the Christiaensen Basin (CB) to the edge of the continental shelf (Fig. 1),
serves as a conduit for contaminants should be documented. If the sludge
dumpsite is moved from the inner NYB to a deepwater site 106 miles from
New York City, there will be an opportunity to study recovery of the
present dumping area and to determine whether the increased costs of barging
the sludge to more remote dumpsites are justified. Management of future
waste inputs will rely more heavily on the concept of accommodative
capacity, which attempts to predict what kinds of quantities of wastes

can be introduced without unacceptable impacts. More and better data on
contaminant fates and effects are needed to attain this predictive capability.


bat?

JERSEY

nautical miles
10 20

10

kilometers

Yr T

73°
30
30 30

<
s

Figure 18.

Wet weight values for

PCBs (ppm)/% body fat in lobsters.

oro sk6uo2s


Comparison of 1980 faunal results with the 1973-74 data indicates the
enriched zone may have spread since that time, although preliminary inspection
of 1981 data does not confirm this trend. Noother faunal variables

examined (density, diversity, species richness, community structure, or
distribution/abundance of amphipod crustaceans) revealed distinct changes
from the early 1970s. The same was also true for sediment concentrations

of organic carbon, heavy metals and coliform bacteria. In addition to
permitting historical comparisons, the data established benchmarks against
which future changes in contaminant concentrations and effects in the

Bight may be measured.

=X


74° : 73°
nautical miles
30
10 30 aan
kilometers
Lay? / NEW a
Ij YORK
ae
NEW 50;
JERSEY
| 40° j

Q x é
n = 1 ra 1 n
Figure 15. PCB levels (ppb) in sediments. .


35

= nN th (oe)
a s) q o

TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON (mg/g dry wt.)
3

Figure 6.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

% CLAY

Relationship of total organic carbon to percent clay in
surface sediments.

-13-

10


TKN
ary wt.)

TOC
mg/g

2 Clay
(<4 um)

B silt

(4-63 um)

ght benthic stations, July-August 1980
kurtosis

Skewness

Sorting
coefficient

Mean
grain size
(phi units)

{m)

Mean values for several sediment variables at New York Bi
Depth

See Figure 1 for station locations,

Table 1.
Station

wow O AMOUR = a
TITASONVOOKHMOMVOCDO HAs FOF HHGBGSHHHOtADO-MOMTHw

ASNSONATA HHH KT HoH FS SdNNGHSSSSSSSSHM AIH HSNO mHN beonwanoss

er eenoae = ens x = BaSSRRunan
RO ROTA OUT EMO RACK WARK ART HAnRMOQN MtMaRTRw erennacMam
TQM OMHAGAMNTRBVIOSAMSRHADGFEATUHOODLDGSGSOHODONOOAARM RoRrsasanage
SANIT KIAN MOON aGTOST SSSSSSdSSSSHnbSOKGNSdGoN igsugoradu
SRN TSSIS_ BI OR SIs ON AVSIM Wet ano nAOMc Cc w|daAmM REO SODO so
NANTSCHS GM HGOtRO Omen aSSgee Bar _ SRS eta Baa BaNre HSSSSSRnSaR
Not awIicdsFonwSGrdaGgatesSadSSSSdcdddddNv¥ddddaddcd VOTTAHGwHOCAT
Set Ra aa g aoe a RRASSRSFOR
SLOMOMFOOFO MONDWAR K—WAD CMNNOARKRH OvQotaan st pec waeons
SHE GHOHHATALMBDFIANHMAAGUR DDIM KOM Ore GOTH OOaRTROX ASoA orga
INNA KM SOA ONGOANNIG OSH SOONG SOK KKK KS KK ene SHH ate a

TOR MOM SAN Aacann MOVs ARAM ODON ADauown atowManw
POT MWK ORNL OTN OT ON GH GH ON ORN eR Oe KORO AAAS SS
SSSSSSSSSGSSSSdSSSSSSI ESE PG sSSsgssdsgdedadaG

00 St 19 in <t  - —D
BSR SHaRaS
rrererorerer yy

1,53
1.53

CROOVA SROs Ane MH uNooWUR RK NoTO RAO ARMA HAWORD VE aeoos y
ROTI I MAGS NMNNOTSENR AK SODA SNA OOM CONG eT OTOMALN AASSASSoms
HOOVGENAASISGITAS SAGA AGG GSA ie lad iatdad WOHOGGPOCES
? ?
HBVOWMOs OK K— OOstn MI INK FONROG LOOT DOT MOTOAD- MOM Qoorwrornnw
NAAM ACA OOOO OR GRAHAM OOTP AO MANTUA NPP AAPA BAS
z
=
at oe 3
GC wa a = = a
So 6S a 2 S
2 22 3 = 2 2
S
e2 af a a a 5
= Sf = = = zy
ag oo a ire] fry 3
=z BS s = 2 a
THA OFWORNDNOTAUMTMOORODMOMR ANTM OROHOMYMPHORDAHRO-aMsT G5 momTHONNDAD
SRR KPA RE RZNNNAANNNNVABHOMHMMoOKosgegs F PBB SB8Se

e means of single analyses on each of five cores; other values represent single analyses.


Table Number

1.

12.

13.

14,

15.
16.

V7.

18.

LIST OF TABLES
Title of Table

Characteristics of surface sediments at New
York Bight benthic stations.

Concentrations of heavy metals in surface
sediments.

Concentrations of metals in sea scallop.
Concentrations of metals in lobster.
Concentrations of metals in rock crab.
Concentrations of metals in winter flounder.
Concentrations of metals in windowpane flounder.
Concentrations of metals in red hake.

Overall ranges of metal concentrations in the
six species.

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon content of
sediments (ppb).

Concentrations (ppb) of polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (with and without phenanthrene)
in biota.

Fecal coliforms, E. coli and C. perfringens in
top layer of bottom sediments, New York Bight.

Bacteriological analyses of animals from the
New York Bight.

Vibrio and related species in animals from the
the New York Bight.

Summary of rock crab, Cancer irroratus collections.

Incidence of gill-fouling entities on Cancer
irroratus from the New York Bight.

Significant correlation coefficients among
fauna, sediment and contaminant variables for
all New York Bight and Long Island Sound
samples.

Significant correlation coefficients among

sediment and contaminant variables for Long
Island Sound subarea.

-vii-

Page

25
26
27
28
29
30

31

36

47

51

54

56
60

62

77

79


3.8 BENTHIC MACROFAUNA COMMUNITY STRUCTURE |

Mr. Robert Reid, NMFS, Sandy Hook Laboratory, Principal Investigator.
3.8.1 Methods

Sediments were washed through 0.5 mm mesh sieves except for in

LIS, where 1.0 mm sieves were used to remain consistent with

our past sampling there. Retained materials were fixed in 10%
formalin and later transferred to 70% ethanol with 5% glycerin.
Dissecting microscopes were used for all sorting. Identifications
were to species level when possible, except for rhynchocoels.
Oligochaetes, archiannelids and colonial forms were not enumerated
due to uncertainty of identification and/or difficulty of
quantification. The resulting data set thus is consistent with
those from most other NYB macrofauna studies.

Species diversities were calculated using the Shannon and Weaver
(1963), index, H' = 4 Py In Pe» Where pj is the proportion of individuals in

the ath species. Qendde cluster analysis (clustering stations

according to species they have in common) was performed using all
samples, To facilitate computation, the number of species was

reduced to 150 by eliminating all species occurring at <5 stations

and having a maximum density of <6 individuals at any station. The Bray-
Curtis (1957) coefficient, C, = 2w/atb was used to measure faunal
similarities between stations, Here “a is the sum of abundances of

all species found in a given sample, "b" is the sum of species abundances ©
for another sample, and “w" is the sum of the lower of the abundance
values for each species common to both samples. Abundances were
transformed by natural logarithms. Clustering was performed using
flexible sorting with g = -0.25.

3.8.2 Results

Species Richness

A total of 408 species were collected at the 44 benthic stations.

Number of species (S) at a given station is a relatively clear indicator
of environmental stress (Green 1977). It is generally lower in

areas of natural or man-made stresses, whereas variables such as

faunal density and diversity may show increases or decreases depending
on the nature or severity of the stress.

Numbers of species found at each station are shown in Fig. 27,
Several species-poor areas are indicated. Lowest S (15/0.1 m2) in the
NYB was found in the sewage sludge deposition area (station 6) which
is well documented for its impoverished fauna (NMFS 1972; Pearce
1972; Walker et al. 1979; Boesch in press; Caracciolo and Steimle in
press). Two stations (23 and 26) near the southern NJ coast also
had S<20. Physical stresses (primarily the dynamic nature of the
sediments, and perhaps wide annual temperature fluctuations) must
be partly responsible for the low S in these inshore areas. S
values of 22-27 were found at four other coarse-sediment stations in
waters of <2] m along the NJ coast. S was higher as a rule along
the northern than southern NJ coast. This implies a lack of
distinguishable adverse effects of the Hudson plume (or other waste
sources) along the northern coast.

-63-


r40°

74° 73°

nautical miles.
19)

30
kilometers

<
8 &

Figure 8.

Distribution of Cd (ppm, dry wt.) in surface sediments.

“Té-



6) Abundance and community structure of benthic macrofauna, the small,
relative invertebrates which are considered to be among the best
indicators of biological effects of contamination (Boesch 1974;
Swartz 1978).

To these recommended studies have been added analysis of sediment grain

sizes (to help interpret observed contaminant and macrofauna patterns),
sediment nitrogen (carbon/nitrogen ratios may indicate whether the source

of the carbon is terrestrial or marine), and viruses in sediments and rock
crabs {a potential health hazard, viruses can have a wider distribution or
greater persistence than the various bacteria used to determine contamination
of sediments and edible species),

The MESA plan's intent was to resurvey the above variables each summer, to
detect any annual spatial or temporal trends in contaminant concentrations
or impacts. Some aspects of the monitoring may change - for instance,
MESA recommends measuring plutonium concentrations every three years. Work
on contaminants in biota may concentrate alternately on burdens in muscle
one year and in accumulative organs (i.e. kidney, liver) the next. Levels
in edible flesh relate more directly to potential human health hazards,
while the (generally higher) concentrations in the accumulative organs
are more pertinent to ecosystem health. Variables sampled may change as
some are found to be more effective than others in determining contaminant
fates and effects, and as the state-of-the-art in this field develops.

In the 1980 survey, we sampled for most of the above variables along the
east-west axis of Long Island Sound (LIS). Reduced funding, and the need
to establish benchmarks in other portions of the NEMP region, will probably
dictate curtailment of the LIS sampling and lowered overall effort in NYB
in the near future.


NEW
JERSEY

To

74

10

nautical miles

3
kilometers.

30

50

73°

Figure 13.

Distribution of Ni (ppm, dry wt.) in surface sediments.

~23-


LITERATURE CITED

ANDERSON, P.
Chief, Marine and Wetlands Protection Branch, EPA, Region II, 26 Federal
Plaza, New York, NY 10278.

BABINCHAK, J. A., J. T. GRAIKOSKI, S. DUDLEY, and M. F. NITKOWSKI.
1977a. Distribution of fecal coliformsin bottom sediments from the New
York Bight. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 8: 150-153.

1977b. Effects of dredge spoil deposition on fecal coliform counts in
sediments of a disposal site. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 34: 38-41.

BODAMMER, J. E. and T. K. SAWYER.
1981. Aufwuchs protozoa and bacteria on the gills of the rock crab,
Cancer irroratus Say: A survey by light and electron microscopy.

J. Protozool. 28: 35-46.

BOEHM, P.
1980a. Gulf and Atlantic Survey (GAS 1). Cape Hatteras to Gulf of Maine
survey for selected organic pollutants in finfish and benthic animals.
Final Report to NOAA. Contract NA-80-FA-C-00046.

1980b. New York Bight benthic sampling survey: Coprostanol, polychlorinated
biphenyl] and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons measurements in sediments.
NOAA, Northeast Monitoring Program Report No. NEMP-III-80-B-0046. 20 p.
Final Report to NOAA. Contract NA-80-FA-C-00038.

BOEHM, P. D., D. L. FIEST, and A. ELSKUS.

1980. Comparative weathering patterns of hydrocarbons from the Amoco
Cadiz oi] spill observed at a variety of coastal environments. In
Proceedings, Symposium on the Amoco Cadiz: Fates and effects of the
oil spill. CNEXO/COB, Brest, France, 19-22 November 1979.

BOESCH, D. F.
1974. Diversity, stability and response to human disturbance in estuarine
ecosystems. Proc. Ist Internt. Congress of Ecology, The Hague,
Netherlands. pp. 109-114.

In press. The ecology of macrobenthos of the New York Bight region.
NOAA Tech. Rept.

1979. Benthic ecological studies: macrobenthos. Middle Atlantic Outer
Continental Shelf Environmental Studies conducted by Virginia Institute
of Marine Science under Contract AA550-CT6-62 with the Bureau of Land
Management.

BRAY, J. R. and J. T. CURTIS.

1957. An ordination of the upland forest communities of southern Wisconsin.
Ecol. Monogr. 27: 325-349.

-92-


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-85-


2.0 SAMPLING PATTERN AND OVERALL METHODOLOGY

Most sampling was conducted aboard the NOAA Ship George B. Kelez from

28 July - 5 August 1980. Microbiological collections were supplemented
with crabs and lobsters taken in September. Station locations are shown
in Fig. 1. Loran C was used to locate stations.

The sampling pattern combines two philosophies. Based on earlier studies,
the MESA monitoring plan divided the Bight into two "contaminated" strata
(which included the CB and HSV) and nine uncontaminated strata. MESA
recommended that most efficient monitoring of sediments and benthic macro-
fauna would be achieved by collecting single grab samples from two to four
randomly-selected stations within each stratum. These stations are shown
in Fig, 1.

This rationale was merged with that of the Northeast Monitoring Program
(NEMP) to arrive at a final sampling plan. NEMP is a long-term, inter-
disciplinary program to monitor ecosystem health in continental shelf
waters from Cape Hatteras to Canada; the program includes elements of NOAA's
NMFS (the “Ocean Pulse" program), National Ocean Survey, and Office of
Marine Pollution Assessment" (the MESA program). Since April 1978 Ocean
Pulse, and more recently NEMP, have been occupying six benthic stations in
the NYB (see "replicate" stations in Fig. 1) at which sediments, sediment
metals, microorganisms and benthic macrofauna have been sampled on a
quarterly or semiannual basis. Water column and sublethal biological
effects phenomena have been monitored concurrently.

Unlike the MESA plan, NEMP benthic sampling is done at fixed stations and
involves routinely analyzing five grabs per station for sediments, metals
and macrofauna. To integrate the two sampling schemes, the six NEMP
stations were substituted for the MESA-suggested stations nearest them.
Replicate sampling was retained at these stations, and replicates were also
taken at another four stations added to the sampling pattern between Sandy
Hook and the dumpsites (Fig. 1) in an attempt to distinguish better dumpsite
versus Hudson River plume influences. Thus a total of 10 replicate and

34 non-replicate stations was occupied in the NYB, although some disciplines
sampled only a subset of these. Future sampling will be at most or all

of these sites, rather than randomized. The LIS stations (Fig. 1) were
those along the Sound's mud-bottom east-west axis which we have been
sampling annually since 1972 (Reid 1979).

All bottom samples were taken with a 0.1 me Smith-McIntyre grab. At the
replicate stations, seven grabs were taken. A 2.7 cm inner diameter core
was taken from each grab and frozen for trace metal analysis. Cores of

the same size were taken from five of the grabs and frozen for sediment
grain size, organic carbon and nitrogen measurements; the remainder of each
of these grabs was then sieved for benthic macrofauna. Microbiological
samples were taken from a sixth grab. Samples for PCB, PAH and coprostanol
analysis (in jars which had been pre-rinsed with acetone and methylene chloride
[glass-distilled, nanograde, Burdick and Jackson Co.2]) and for detection

2Use of brand names does not imply endorsement by NOAA.


6.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank John LeBaron, Bob Pikanowski, Patrice Fournier and Dan Ralph
for aid in data processing and analysis. Geung-Ho Kim was especially
helpful in working with the interdisciplinary data set. Cathy Noonan
and Maureen Montone typed the manuscript through several drafts. The
artwork was by Michele Cox; Andy Draxler designed the base map.

Sediment analyses were performed under contract by Phil Fallon of GEOMET
Technologies. John Lindsay of Quantitative Ecology, Inc., headed the
benthic macrofauna sample processing effort. Ann Frame and Steve Fromm
were instrumental in confirming species identifications and organizing
the benthic data set. John Pearce, Frank Steimle, Millington Lockwood,
Kneeland McNulty, Garry Mayer, Charles Parker and Joel O'Connor made
helpful comments on the manuscript.

Much of the funding for this work was originally provided by the MESA

Program, and later by the Oceanic and Atmospheric Services of the National
Ocean Survey (which received the funds through a transfer from MESA).

-91-


WEST, R. H. and P. G. HATCHER.
1980. Polychlorinated biphenyls in sewage sludge and sediments of the
New York Bight. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 11: 126-129.

-96-


3.7

The survival and presistence of viruses in the marine environment

is of interest because viruses appear to survive longer than coliform
bacteria, which are presently used to monitor the quality of water.
Also, the hazard posed by viruses is considered to be more than that
posed by bacterial pathogens because as little as one plaque-forming
unit (PFU) of virus is capable of causing an infection in a
susceptible host. Our recent studies have indicated that marine
sediments may play a major role in the distribution, survival, and
transport of bacterial and viral pathogens in the marine environment
(Goyal et al. in prep.).

GILL FOULING IN ROCK CRABS

3.7.1

3.7.2

Dr. T. K. Sawyer, Mr. M. A. Galasso, and Mr. E. J. Lewis, NMFS,
Oxford Laboratory; Mr. J. Ziskowski, NMFS, Sandy Hook Laboratory,
Principal Investigators,

Methods

Rock crabs, Cancer irroratus, collected in trawls were measured
(carapace width in cm), sexed, and opened to permit visual observations
of gill color. Color was recorded as clean (white-yellow), discolored
(tan-brown), less than 50% black, or more than 50% black. Gills

from subsamples of the total number examined (41/338) were preserved
in Davidson's fixative and processed for routine histological
examination. Gross observations for evidence of stress or disease
included examinations for blackening of the carapace, perforation

in the shell or appendages, and small localized black areas in the gill
indicative of tissue damage and melanin formation. A total of

337 Cancer irroratus were examined for evidence of black gill disease
(Table 15): Gill color was recorded for 126 specimens captured in

the "contaminated" area (see Fig. 1) and for 211 captured in the "control"
area.

Results

The ratio of male to female crabs was approximately 1.4:1 (203 males,
134 females). Ninety-four percent (317/337) of the specimens had
clean gills and only 2.5% (7/337) had gills that were partially
blackened. There were no apparent differences between crabs from
"control" and "contaminated" stations. The remarkably low incidence
of black gill disease at most contaminated stations may have been an
artifact of small sample size; the number of animals available for
examination ranged from only 3 to 25 per station, whereas previous
surveys showed that 50-100 specimens per station should be collected
for each determination.

More than 50 specimens were available for examination at two of the
"control" stations (36 and 46 - see Fig. 1); two animals with more
than 50% of their gill tissue blackened were caught at 36, and two with
less than 50% blackening at 46 (Table 15). The low incidence of black

-59-


The sewage sludge disposal site (station 7) and six other stations
with 21 km of the disposal site had S values between 20 and 30.

This is well below values found in similar sediments further down
the HSV (see below), and is presumed to be partly a contaminant
effect. The dredge spoil dumpsite (station 4) and vicinity had
slightly higher S, between 30 and 40, as did the remainder of the
"contaminated area" stations. There was a fairly steady increase

in S moving down the HSV, from 40-50 at the northern end to 80 at
station 15 -- this is the point in the HSV where large populations
of Ampelisca agassizi and other sensitive amphipod species first
appear, coincident with a marked decrease in levels of trace metals
{and presumably other contaminants] (Boesch in press). Highest S
was found at station 14, the outermost HSV station. Long Island
offshore (>30 m deep) stations also had high species richness (41-79).
As in the HSV, the highest values were found furthest offshore. The
single NJ offshore station had a lower S (35) than did any LI counter-
part. It is not known whether this represents a real difference
between tne areas. Some "noise" in the S values should be expected,
especially where data are based on single grabs -- witness the
values of 47, 57 and 72 at three neighboring LI offshore stations
with similar depths and substrates.

S values for all LIS stations were lower than any recorded for the
NYB. (This is partly because the 1 mm sieves used in LIS collect
fewer of the small species; the LIS and NYB data therefore cannot
be directly compared.) Low S in LIS may also be due to some
combination of the fine and often resuspended sediments present,
other typical estuarine stresses (such as large annual temperature
fluctuations), and contamination. There is no clear indication of
further reduction in S, however, in the more contaminated western
end of LIS.

Species Diversity

Although species diversity (H') may not bear a single or direct
relationship to environmental health (Goodman 1975), distribution
of H' diversity values (Fig. 28) did parallel other evidence con-
cerning the degree of stress present in certain areas of the Bight.
Trends in H' generally agreed with those for species richness (this
is expected, since S is a component of H'). Lowest H' (0.7) was
found in the sludge deposition area. Several nearby stations also
had H's of less than 2.0. Values were higher in the upper HSV, and
increased moving down the valley to a maximum of 3.3 at the outermost
valley station. Long Island and New Jersey offshore stations also
typically had high diversities (2.2-3.3). Inshore stations 21 and
23, which had very low S values, had low H' as well (1.0).

The principal area of disagreement between S$ and H' was in the NJ

inshore sector, where H's were relatively high although species
richnesses were low. This was because of high evenness of distribution

-65-


Lat°
NEW
JERSEY
40° '

4°

74

“=

nautical miles
‘0

10 30 50
kilometers

OA a ’
Zz s =
1. 2 1
Figure 3. Percent clay (<4 um) in surface sediments.


BROWN, D. W., L. S. RAMOS, M. Y. UYEDA, A. J. FRIEDMAN, and W. D. MacLEOD, JR.
1980. Ambient temperature extraction of hydrocarbons from marine
sediment - comparison with boiling-solvent extractions, In Petroleum
jin the Marine Environment, Advances in Chemistry Series No. 185.
American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.

CARACCIOLO, J. V. and F. W. STEIMLE, JR.
In press. An atlas of the distribution and abundance of dominant benthic
invertebrates in the New York Bight apex with reviews of their life
histories. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS SSR-F.

CARMODY, D. J., J. B. PEARCE, and W. E. YASSO.
1973. Trace metals in sediments of New York Bight. Mar. Pollut. Bull.
4(9): 132-135.

DUNN, B. P. and R. Jd. ARMOUR. -
1980. Sample extraction and purification for determination of polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons by reversed-phase chromatography. Anal. Chem.
52: 2027-2031.

EAGLE, R. A. and —. I. S. REES.
1973. Indicator species - a case for caution. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 4(2): 25.

FEDOSH, M. S. and J. C. MUNDAY, JR.
1982. Satellite analysis of estuarine plume behavior. Oceans '82 Conference,
Washington, DC, 22-24 September 1982.

FREELAND, G. and D. J. P. SWIFT.
1978. Surficial sediments. MESA New York Bight Atlas Monograph 10. 93 p.

FREELAND, G., D. SWIFT, W. STUBBLEFIELD,. and A. COK.
1976. Surficial sediments of the NOAA-MESA study areas in the New York
Bight. Am. Soc. Limnol. Oceanogr. Spec. Symp. 2: 90-101.

GALEHOUSE, J. S.
1971. Sedimentation analysis. In R. E. Carver (ed.). Procedures in
Sedimentary Petrology. Wiley, New York.

GOODMAN, D.
1975. The theory of diversity-stability relationships in ecology.
Quart. Rev. Biol. 50: 237-266.

GOYAL, S. M., C. P. GERBA, and J. L. MELNICK.
1981. Simple method for recovering rotaviruses from soil, activated
sludge and marine sediments. In prep.

GREEN, R. H.

1977. Some methods for hypothesis testing with biological monitoring
data. pp. 200-211. In Biological Monitoring of Water and Effluent
Quality. ASTM STP 607. Cairns, J., dr., Dickson, K. L. and
Westlake, G. F. (eds.). American Society for Testing and Materials.

-93-


Sediments

Core samples were taken from Smith-McIntyre bottom grabs, using

2.7 cm diameter plastic cylinders (pre-rinsed with 5% NHO3, then
DIH20) and frozen immediately. In the laboratory the top 5 cm portion
of each was dried (16-20 hours, 60°C) and pulverized, and debris
(shells, etc.) removed. Samples were then transferred to cleaned

4 oz. polyethylene containers and stored under ambient conditions.

For multi-element digestion (all metals except Hg) a modified EPA
procedure was used. An aliquot of dried sediment (3 to 10 g) was
weighed into a 100 ml glass beaker, 10 ml of conc. HNO3 were

added, and the samples placed on ceramic hot plates (~70°C) inside a
metal free hood and evaporated to dryness. When cool, each sample
received 5 ml of 8% NH4C1 (w/v in DIH20), 5 ml of 0.02 m Ca(NO3)2:4H20,
and 15 ml of an acid mixture (80 ml conc. HNO3 plus 20 ml conc. HCL
diluted to 1 L with DIH20). After 16 to 20 hours, the samples were
again placed on hot plates (.70°C) and the volumes reduced to 10

to 15 ml. Whatman #4 paper was used to filter the leached solids
from the solutions as they were transferred to glass graduates and
brought to a volume of 25.0 ml using DIH20. Reagent blanks were run
through the same digestion procedure.

For mercury analyses, the digestion procedure was: to a sample of
dried sediment (0.1 to 1.0 g) 20 ml of 50% aqua regia (3:1:4, conc.
HCL: conc, HNO3DIH20 (v/v/v)) were added. The samples were placed in a
water bath (.70°C) for 15 minutes, then allowed to cool. Fifteen
ml of 5% KMn0q (w/v) were added slowly and the samples were
reimmersed in the water bath until a brown solution was obtained.
This procedure was also followed for reagent blanks and calibration
standards. A modified Hatch and Ott procedure was used for the
analyses, Samples were transferred quantitatively, using 20% H2S04
(v/v) into 300 ml glass BOD bottles fitted-with gas sparging tubes.
Mercury in the solutions was reduced using SnSQq solution, and the
vaporized mercury swept through the optical cell in the analyzer
(flow «2 1/min). Concentrations of mercury were calculated from a
working curve generated by analyses of calibration standards.

3.2.2 Results
Metals in Sediments

Mean concentrations of seven metals in sediments are given in Table 2.
Figs. 7-13 are contour maps showing the levels of these metals and
the positions of their maximum and minimum values. Breakdown into
three regions facilitates interpretation of the data. Region I
includes the NYB apex and HSV. These two areas are paired because
sediments in each have similar characteristics (high in fines, organic
carbon and contaminants), and they contrast with those from adjacent

-15-


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nautical miles
10 20

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a eee et ae
kilometers.

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Figure 22, Wet weight values for PCBs (ppm)/% body fat in winter
flounder.

Ma


evidence of some expansion to the west. ‘The 1980 data showed an
enriched macrobenthos at station 8, ~4 km SW of the dredge spoil
dumpsite, and a fringe assemblage at 4, 3 km NW of that dumpsite.
Neither of these stations had had elevated numbers of Nephtys in
1973-74, The changes must be interpreted with caution; as mentioned
in Section 3.8, this assemblage may be patchily distributed. Also,
temporal variability may be higher than anticipated; preliminary
analysis of 1981 Nephtys data indicates lower densities than in 1980
over most of CB.

No other major faunal trends were detected. Dimensions of the highly
impacted Capitella-dominated zone appeared unchanged. In 1980 as

in the MESA surveys, no sites sampled were so contaminated as to be
devoid of macrofauna. On limited evidence, the shoreward limit of the
HSV amphipod-dominated assemblage did not move appreciably toward or
away from the CB. Densities of >100 amphipods/0.1 m@ first appeared
near station 12, ~22 km southeast of the dumpsites, in the 1980
collections as in the earlier data.

The lack of detectable differences in contaminant fates and effects

in the NYB between the early 1970s and 1980 (except for the possible
expansion of the "enriched" zone) is not surprising. The variability
of measurements made in the inner NYB makes detection of subtle
effects difficult; only larger-scale changes can be identified with
confidence. Also, overall contaminant inputs have not changed greatly
over the period in question. Sludge dumping has increased (Anderson
pers. comm.), but disposal of dredge spoil (U.S. EPA 1978) and acid waste
(Anderson pers. comm.) has declined. Given this, it might be expected
that the system would approach a steady state, and large changes in
contaminant concentrations and effects would not be expected.

For the remaining measurements made on the summer 1980 survey, no
adequate historical baselines exist against which to examine spatial-
temporal trends. Concerning sediment PAHs, only a few recently-collected
data, mostly from contaminated inner apex sites, had existed for the
NYB prior to our sampling, and few samples from outside the Bight have
been analyzed. That our peak values for many compounds were higher
than those McLeod et al. (1981) measured in CB is undoubtedly more

a result of sampling in more and/or different locations, than of real
increases over the short time period between the surveys. PAHs and
pathogenic bacteria in demersal biota had also been analysed from
only a small number of sites, mostly inshore,

PCBs in biota, and sediment PCBs, coprostanol, viruses and Clostridium
perfringens, had been more intensively studied, but, again, only
recently and with concentration on the Bight apex. Our values for PCB
concentrations in biota, like those for sediment PAHs, were higher

than other reported data, but this too was presumably a function of our
analyzing more samples from different areas. Our sediment data agree
with those of Hatcher and McGillivary (1979) and West and Hatcher (1880)
in documenting high levels of coprostanol and PCB in CB sediments.

-89-


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Figure 4,

Vistribution of total organic carbon (mg/g dry wt.) in
surface sediments.

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Klebsiella: Seven blue colony isolates that were oxidase negative
were identified but only one, from a lobster from station 10, was
Klebsiella oxytoca. It would appear that in our hands the medium
was not selective for this organism, although the medium can detect
the presence of the organism. Klebsiella pneumoniae was identified
from our fecal coliform analysis of the animals, in a lobster from
station 9 and a crab from near station. Klebsiella oxytoca was
also demonstrated in a crab from station 10.

Vibrio spp.: Table 14 lists the speciation of the isolates obtained
from the animals. The presence of the various isolates did not
correlate with stations from which the animals were harvested. V.
alginolyticus was the most common species encountered. This species
js considered, but has not been established as, pathogenic. Of
significance is the demonstration of the pathogens, V. parahaemolyticus
and V. cholerae. The latter organism is not the classical cholera
type usually found in Asia, but has been involved in food poisoning
outbreaks in the United States.

3.6 VIRUSES IN SEDIMENTS AND ROCK CRABS

Or. Sagar Goyal, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, Principal
Investigator.

3.6.1 Methods

Sediments from thirty stations and rock crabs from eight stations
(usually 20-30 crabs per station) were analysed. Viruses were

recovered from 250 to 500-gram samples of sediment following a

procedure developed in our laboratory (Goyal et al. in prep.). The
method (Fig. 25) consists of eluting the viruses from sediment

by suspending the sediment in three volumes of 39% beef extract solution
(pH 10.5). After vigorously shaking the mixture for five minutes it

is centrifuged at 500 x g for 10 minutes. The supernatant is adjusted
to pH 3.5 with the use of 1M glucine, pH 1.5, which results in the
formation of an organic floc. The floc is obtained by centrifugation of the
sample at 500 x g for 5 minutes. Most of the viruses are present in
this floc and are eluted by mixing the floc with 5-10 ml of 0.05 M
glucine, pH 11.0. After another centrifugation at 900 x g for 20
minutes, the supernatant is obtained, passed through an 05S filter

to reduce cytotoxicity, and assayed. The overall recovery efficiency
of this method is greater than 50%.

3.6.2 Results

Viruses were isolated from sediments from five of the 30 stations
analyzed (Fig. 26). Presence of an unidentified virus at station 5,
between the dredge spoil and sewage sludge dumpsites, is presumably due
to dumping activities; the unidentified virus 6.3 km off the Long
Island coast, and echovirus type 1 4.7 km from Sandy Hook and the
mouth of Lower Bay could have other sources. Occurrence of echovirus
type 7 well to the east of the NYB apex (station 30) and type 1 on
the mid-shelf off eastern Long Island (station 34) is more surprising.
Station 34 is, however, in the area where we unexpectedly found total
and fecal coliform bacteria in rock crabs. No viruses were found in
the crabs analyzed,

-55-


List of Tables, continued

Table Number
19,

20.

21.

Title of Table

Significant correlation coefficients among
sediment and contaminant variables for
New York Bight subarea.

Significant correlation coefficients among
sediment and contaminant variables for
New York Bight apex/Hudson Shelf Valley
subarea.

Significant correlation coefficients among

sediment and contaminant variables for
New Jersey/Long Island shelf subarea.

-vili-

Page

80

81

82


5.1

5.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
SYNTHESIS OF 1980 RESULTS

The several measures of contaminant fates and effects explored above
give a fairly consistent picture of the "health" of various portions
of the NYB. Concentrations of organic carbon, metals, PCBs, PAHs

and coprostanol in sediments were all at or near maximum values in
the area of sewage sludge accumulation just west of the sludge dump-
site. Fecal coliform bacteria and Clostridium perfringens were also
elevated here, and all macrofauna indices pointed to a highly impacted
condition in eastern Christiaensen Basin, In the western basin, the
dredged material dumpsite showed maximum TOC and PCBs. We agree with
Boesch (in press) that it is at best difficult to separate impacts

of the two dumpsites and the Hudson plume, based on present data, but
that the greatest alterations appear most closely associated with
sewage Sludge disposal.

Most of the remaining CB contained elevated carbon and contaminant
levels. Outside of the zone of highly altered fauna, the high

carbon content appeared to have an “enriching” effect on the benthos,
which was characterized by a paucity of crustaceans, and high densities
and biomass of several polychaetes, an anthozoan and a bivalve.
Secondary maxima were found or most contaminants in the "Mud Hole",
toward the inshore end of the HSV, but these peaks were not accompanied
by such distinct alterations of the benthic fauna. In the seaward
part of the HSV, 50 km or more southeast of the dumpsites, and in
coarser-sediment areas outside the CB, concentrations of contaminants
and indicator microbes were generally low, and the benthic macrofauna
was altered little if at all,

There were some midshelf areas where contamination was unexpectedly
detected, Echovirus was found in sediments 120 km E of CB and 45 km
off the Long Island coast, and fecal coliform bacteria were detected

in rock crabs at a nearby station. Preliminary inspection of our summer
1981 data does not reveal continued contamination at these sites, so
they should not be considered chronic problem areas. Both viruses and
fecal coliforms were again detected well outside of the "contaminated"
stratum in 1981, however, demonstrating that low-level sediment
contamination exists over much of the NYB.

Demersal fish and shellfish from all areas sampled had low to
moderate body burdens of both metals and organic contaminants. Tissue
concentrations did not appear strongly related to sediment levels,
Presumably due to mobility of the target species and other factors
noted above. Where Federal “action levels" have been established for
deleterious materials in edible flesh (1.0 ppm for Hg, 5.0 ppm for
PCBs), none of the concentrations measured approached these levels,
(Toxicant concentrations are often higher in accumulative organs than
in edible flesh, so effects on the populations themselves cannot be
ruled out.) Lobsters and rock crabs generally had hignest concentrations
of both metals and organic contaminants.

-87-


in sea scallop. Silver was found in appreciable quantities
(approaching 1.0 ppm) only in crustaceans, and moreso in lobster
(from the "Mud Hole" and Long Island Sound) than in rock crab;
3) levels in flesh increased in the order scallop<fish<crab and
lobster.

3.3 ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS (PCBs, POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND
COPROSTANOL) IN SEDIMENTS

Dr. Paul Boehm, Energy Resources Company, Cambridge, Massachusetts,
Principal Investigator.

3.3.1 Methods

All samples were processed (i.e. extracted and fractionated)
according to the ball-mill tumbler method of Brown et al. (1980)
as modified for the shaking table by Boehm et al. (1980) and
adapted for coprostanol analysis using the method of Hatcher and
McGillivary (1979). This latter method involves isolation of the
f3, or polar, fraction from a silica gel column in a methanol
eluate followed by drying and silylation using N,0-bis (trimenthy]
silyl ethers of the alcoholic compounds (e.g. sterols).

The entire analytical scheme is illustrated in Fig, 14. This scheme
allows for simultaneous preparation of extract fractions for PCB

and PAH analysis. PCB analyses were performed by electron capture gas
chromatography (EC-GC), PAH analysis by glass capillary gas .
chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC2/MS), and sterol analysis by
GCe,

3.3.2 Results

Findings were presented in Boehm (1980b), and are summarized here.
Both PCBs (total- Fig. 15) and coprostanol (Fig. 16) had highest
concentrations in and near CB. PCB distributions indicated two
main sources, sewage sludge and dredge spoils, while sludge and
estuarine outflow were apparently the largest coprostanol sources.
The ratio of coprostanol to total measured steroids was highest at
the sewage sludge dumpsite (station 7) and accumulation area (station
6). This indicates that, as expected, the relative contribution
of sewage vs. other organic inputs was highest at these stations.
The PCB and coprostanol values were generally comparable to those
found in NYB by West and Hatcher (1980) and Hatcher and McGillivary
(1979), respectively.

PAHs (Table 10) were widely distributed but patchy, again with highest
concentrations in the inner bight (except for the extremely high
values found in western LIS). Peak values of many compounds were
1.5 to >10X those reported by McLeod et al. (1981) for CB.

~32-


GROSS, M. G.
1976. Waste disposal. MESA New York Bight Atlas Monograph 26. 32 p.

HATCH, W. R. and W. L. OTT.
1968. Determination of sub-microgram quantities of mercury by atomic
absorption spectrophotometry. Anal. Chem. 40: 2085-2087.

HATCHER, P. G. and P. A. McGILLIVARY,
1979. Sewage contamination in the New York Bight. Coprostanol as an
indicator. Envir. Sci. Technol. 13: 1225-1229.

HOLME, N. A. and A. D. McIntyre (eds.).
1971. Methods for the Study of Marine Benthos. Davis, Philadelphia, PA.

INGRAM, R. L.
1971. Sieve analysis. In R. E. Carver (ed.). Procedures in Sedimentary
Petrology. Wiley, New York, NY.

MacLEOD, W. D., L. S. RAMOS, A. J. FRIEDMAN, D. G. BURROWS, P. G. PROHASKA,
D. L. FISHER, and D. W. BROWN.
1981. Analysis of residual chlorinated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons
and related compounds in selected sources, sinks and biota of New York
Bight. NOAA Tech. Mem. OMPA-6.

MUELLER, J. A., A. R. ANDERSON, and J. S. JERIS.
1976. Contaminants in the New York Bight. J. Water Poll. Control Fed.
48: 2309-2326.

MURRAY, A. J.

1979. Metals, organochlorine pesticides and PCB residue levels in fish
and shellfish landed in England and Wales during 1974. Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, England Aquatic Environment
Monitoring Report No. 2. 11 p and appendices.

O'CONNOR, J. S.
1981. Studies on fates and effects of pollution in the New York Bight.
ICES E:21.

NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE.
1972. The effects of waste disposal in the New York Bight. Final Report.
Submitted to U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Coastal Engineering Research
Center. 9 sections. Middle Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Center, Sandy
Hook Laboratory.

NORTHEAST MONITORING PROGRAM (NEMP).
1981. Annual NEMP report on the health of the northeast coastal waters of
the United States, 1980. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/NEC-10. 79 p.

ORLOCI, L., C. R. RAO, and W. M. STITELER (eds.).
1979. Multivariate Methods in Ecological Work. International
Cooperative Publishing House, Fairfield, MD.


41°

NEW
JERSEY

74

nautical miles

10
10

L

kilometers

30 50

&
s
< 1

Figure 16.

Coprostanol

levels(ppm) in

sediments.