Soil Contamination, Contaminant Levels in Benthic Organisms and Intake by Oystercatchers on Tidal Flats in the Eastern Scheldt

In the vicinity of former wrecking sites two tidal flats were investigated for the contents of heavy metals, PCBs and PAHs in both the sediment and in benthic organisms (cockle, mussel and lugworm). In the silt fraction PCB concentrations up to 140 µg/kg.dm were found. PAHs were detectable in all the soil fractions. Contaminant levels in organisms were enhanced. PCBs could only be observed in lugworms. Significant correlations were found between levels of lead, six individual PAHs and five individual PCBs in lugworm and in the silt fraction. The intake of contaminants is not expected to affect short-term hatching results of the oystercatcher feeding on the benthic organisms. Biomass and abundance of benthic species are not affected significantly.