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Fishery Bulletin 91(4), 1993 



safety margins for adverse reproductive effects of sev- 

 eral contaminants (Susani, 1986; Sorenson, 1991) on 

 fish species at the 106-MDS could easily have been 

 exceeded. Only moderate concentrations of chlorinated 

 hydrocarbons have been shown to be associated 

 with detrimental reproductive effects (Susani, 1986; 

 Westernhagen et al., 1989). 



An interdisciplinary effort was made to determine 

 changes in contaminant burdens of fish at the 106- 

 MDS once sludge dumping began (NMFS 10 ' 11 ). In 1991, 

 concentrations of metals were relatively low in the 

 epibenthic megafauna species of deepwater fishes, such 

 as blue hake (Antimora rostrata), rattails iCor- 

 yphaenoides carapinus and C. armatus), halosaur 

 (Halosauropsis macrochir) and commercially valuable 

 slope-dwelling tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps), 

 shrimp iNematocarcinus ensifer and Glyphocrangon 

 sculpta), and American lobster (Homarus americanus). 

 This was generally true for American lobster, with the 

 exception of elevated liver Cd, which could reflect its 

 trans-shelf migration and possible exposure to coastal 

 pollution. Finfishes, however, generally contained rela- 

 tively high concentrations of chlorinated pesticides and 

 total PCB's in their livers (NMFS 1 " 11 ). Significantly 

 elevated levels of several metals (Ag, Cu,and Cr) were 

 found in midwater myctophids (e.g., Benthosema gla- 

 ciate, Lobianchia dofleini, Ceratoscopelus maderensis, 

 and Hygophum hygomii) at stations southwest of the 

 106-MDS in the principal area of influence of the 

 sludge. 



Plankton (primarily copepods) provide a pathway for 

 entry of potentially toxic chemical contaminants from 

 the sludge into the ocean food-web, because it consti- 

 tutes the main prey of smaller midwater fishes. Con- 

 centrations of metals in plankton samples taken in 

 1991 were comparable to, or higher than, those ob- 

 served in fishes collected in 1989. The geographic dis- 

 tributions of metal concentrations in 1991 fishes and 

 plankton suggest that the elevated levels of metals 

 found in certain samples are probably attributable to 

 dumping activity at the 106-MDS. Boehm (1983), how- 

 ever, postulated that offshore, southerly transport of 

 organic contaminants along the New Jersey shore and 

 down-valley transport from the New York Bight apex 

 caused increased metal contaminants. Organic contami- 

 nants (PCB's, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons 

 (PAH's) and pesticides) were present in lower con- 

 centrations in zooplankton than in midwater fishes 

 (NMFS 1011 ). 



The highest concentration patterns of PAH's, PCB's, 

 and Ag in the sediment surface layer ( 0-0.5 cm ) tended 

 to follow the distribution patterns of spores of 

 Clostridium perfringens (a bacterial indicator of sew- 

 age) in sediments collected from depths of 100 to 2800 m 



in the vicinity of the 106-MDS. Clostridium perfringens 

 counts declined gradually to the southwest. Surface 

 sediments were not detectably contaminated with other 

 trace metals. Organic contaminant concentrations in 

 sub-surface strata (0.5-3.5 cm) were higher than in 

 the sediment or deeper layers. Artifacts in sediment 

 cores in the 106-MDS tend to confirm that chemical 

 concentration is related to dumping. All data imply 

 that material dumped at the 106-MDS reached the 

 seabed in the area southwest of the site in the PAL 

 Data imply that the chemicals associated with the 

 sludge entered the food-web around the dumpsite in 

 the area believed to have been under principal influ- 

 ence of the sludge (NMFS 1 " 11 ). This is the area ac- 

 counting for the most of the decline in fish species 

 measured in this study. 



Unless absorbed by particles or precipitated by other 

 constituents in the water column, slowly sinking wastes 

 must take a long time to reach the bottom because of 

 the great water depth. This increases the likelihood of 

 significant ingestion of waste and associated contami- 

 nants by mid-water column prey species of resource 

 fish. Deepwater food-web dynamics have been explored 

 in the 106-MDS by Van Dover et al. (1992) by using 

 the natural stable isotopes of organic carbon nitrogen 

 and sulphur in sewage sludge to trace sewage-oriented 

 organic matter. Organic matter from the sludge was 

 found to reach the deep-sea floor and enter the benthic 

 food-web through consumption by surface-deposit feed- 

 ers, including a sea urchin (Echinus affinus) and a sea 

 cucumber (Bentlwdytes sanquinolenta). Other surface- 

 deposit feeders, including infaunal benthic species such 

 as polychaetes and molluscs, probably also ingest this 

 organic matter contributing to sludge impacts in the 

 open ocean via food-chain dynamics. 



There are strong associations of benthic macrofauna 

 with habitat types and sediment contaminants in the 

 continental shelf of the New York Bight (Chang et al., 

 1992). Species most common in the contaminated area 

 around 12-MDS were mainly polychaetes (e.g., Tharyx 

 acutus, Nephtys incisa, Pherusa affinis, and Capitella 

 spp.), as well as a nemertean (Cerebratulus lacteus), 

 an anemone (Ceriantheopsis americanus), a phoronid 

 (Phoronis architecta ) and the nut clam Nucula proximo. 

 Another group of species was consistently associated 

 with minimally contaminated sediments and appeared 

 to represent a basic natural benthic macrofaunal as- 

 semblage for the typical sandy habitat of the Bight 

 shelf. This group included the sand dollar (Echin- 

 arachnius parma) and several species of amphipods 

 (e.g., Byblis serrata, Corophium crassicorne, and Am- 

 pelisca agassizi), as well as polychaetes (e.g., Goniadella 

 gracilis and Exogone hebes). The roles of these 

 contaminant-sensitive and insensitive species within 



