Shellfish Sanitation— Concentrations of total and fecal coliform bacteria, indi- 

 cators of human pathogens, have been high enough for several years to require clo- 

 sure of most Hudson-Raritan Estuary waters to shellfish harvesting. Even the New 

 York Harbor waters classified for shellfishing use (Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays) 

 have not met the New York State or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency coli- 

 form standards for shellfishing in recent years (New York City, 1979). Similar clo- 

 sures were instituted in the apex in 1970 and extended geographically in 1974 

 ( Verber, 1976). Measurements in the water column of the apex indicate that coliform 

 bacterial concentrations from sewage sludge dumping reach background levels with- 

 in 3 to 5 km (2 to 3 mi) of the barge discharge site, whereas elevated concentrations in 

 the estuarine plume extend much farther into the apex (O'Connor, D.J., et al., 

 1977). 



Petroleum Pollution — Petroleum hydrocarbons have been identified as a class of 

 contaminants of concern within the Bight region. Of particular concern are the poly- 

 nuclear aromatics (PNAHs) such as the benzenes, naphthalene, and benz-anthra- 

 cenes. Because of their toxicity, carcinogenicity, and relatively high concentrations 

 in the ecosystem, the PNAHs have been characterized as "major perceived threats 

 that require continued study" in the Bight region (O'Connor, J.S., and Stanford, 

 1979). Petroleum hydrocarbons have also formed surface slicks, have fouled 

 beaches, and have tainted fish and shellfish. 



The daily chronic input of oil and grease to the Bight region has been estimated at 

 870 1/ day (Mueller et al., 1976). Assuming that 60 percent of this material constitutes 

 petroleum hydrocarbons (N AS, 1975) with an average density of 0.95, the average 

 daily oil input would be about 520 t or 550 m\/d (0. 1 5 mgd). This estimate does not 

 include atmospheric inputs from fossil fuel burning that have been estimated at 17 to 

 42 nv/d (Gibson et al., 1979). Thus, total chronic petroleum hydrocarbon loadings 

 are estimated at 570 to 590m 3 /d (0.15 to 0.1 6 mgd). The quantities lost from routine 

 ship operations are unknown. 



Individual oil spills can release large quantities of oil in small regions, resulting in 

 major impacts. However, the average quantities released from spills appear to be 

 much less .han those from chronic oil losses to the Bight region. The U.S. Coast 

 Guard Pollution Incident Reporting System (PIRS) records that all known spills of 

 petroleum hydrocarbons from 1974 through 1979 have averaged 0.01 m'/d (0.003 

 mgd), i.e., much less than 1 percent of all petroleum hydrocarbons introduced to 

 the Hudson-Raritan Estuary and New York Bight. 



Despite the substantial dispersal of petroleum hydrocarbons by dissolution, evap- 

 oration, and degradation, large quantities are found in the Bight region. A large pro- 

 portion of the introduced petroleum hydrocarbons reach the sediments. Sediments 

 with high hydrocarbon concentrations are particularly evident in the Hudson- 

 Raritan Estuary. Concentrations of PNAHs alone in sediments of the estuary range 

 from 3 to 180 ngj g dry wt. The hydrocarbons in particularly high concentrations are 

 naphthalene, phenanthrene, and fluoranthene (Anderson, 198 1 ). Concentrations of 

 all petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments of the Bight range from 500 to 3,000 /ug/g 

 dry wt. in fine sediments of the apex to about 10 jug/gdry wt. on the continental shelf 

 (Farrington and Tripp, 1979). 



The organisms analyzed appear to accumulate naphthalene and biphenyl more 

 than the other PNAHs. Digestive glands of lobsters accumulate higher concentra- 

 tions and a broader spectrum of PNAHs than any of nine other species analyzed 

 (MacLeod et al., in press). The degree of hydrocarbon tainting in food species and 

 chronic effects on biota require further analysis (Anderson, 1981). 



The above estimates are based upon data gathered throughout the 1970s. Avail- 

 able data do not permit any reliable assessment of trends in petroleum hydrocarbon 

 input rates or accumulation in the ecosystem over the past 10 years. 



Dredged Material— The large quantities of natural riverborne sediments and 

 anthropogenic particulate inputs are rather effectively trapped in New York Harbor. 

 These sediments tend to accumulate in the 386 km (240 mi) of federally maintained 



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