Spatial and temporal variation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls in Crassostrea virginica and sediments from Galveston Bay, Texas

Galveston Bay supports 75-80% of the Texas oyster fishery and may exhibit a gradient in the loading of contaminants from the upper to the lower Bay. To examine this, concentrations of selected pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) were determined in oysters sampled five times during one year from three stations at four sites in Galveston Bay. Twenty individual oysters were pooled from each station. Solvent extracts were quantitated by gas chromatography with electron capture detection for chlorinated analytes and mass spectrometry for aromatic analytes.