Temporal and spatial distribution of chlorinated hydrocarbons in mussels from the Kastela Bay (Adriatic Sea)

An evaluation of the contamination level of the Kastela Bay by chlorinated hydrocarbons was performed using transplanted mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from a clean area. The obtained results show a significant increase of chlorinated hydrocarbon concentration in the transplanted mussels, indicating the contamination of the bay. The average concentration of DDTs increased from 2.9 to 6.0 ng g super(-1) dry wt, while the PCBs increased from 13.5 to 59.3 ng g super(-1) dry wt. The spatial distribution of DDTs is quite uniform, without significant temporal changes, while the PCBs show significant spatial and temporal changes. This is related to different sources of contamination. Considering the fat content in mussels, the PCB concentrations expressed on a dry weight basis increased with an increase in the fat content, while DDTs show insignificant relation to the fat content. However, expressed on a fat basis, PCBs and DDTs are significantly (negatively) related to fat concentration.