196 
TABLE 3.—HEAVY METALS IN SEDIMENT; (2 PERCENT HNO; EXTRACTION), SANDY HOOK REPORT, 1970 
{In parts per million] 
Transect 
Station Cr Cu Pb 
Northernmost: ; 
1 | ep 731 ee a eee is Stes een gees 0.35 0. 42. 1.30 
0) ee ee eee. eee ee oe ees . 66 . 028, 1.69 
Tisc2ix Ged Dae /ie Os Sea, 5 GR Ee ns TN a Ae .99 . 016 2.98 
5 )) patina gee SAYRE 0 eae. See ae! “Aiea .93 . 052 3.35 
Near north: 
MOGs i chs i Me 2 RO a a st ee ./0 . 027 1.99 
0 ares tt oh NPR pt A AE ae Ce eee 1,12 . 073 5.71 
104. ogee 52 ao) a as Be ee ee 2. 04 13 6. 49 
(1): an RIS FS) SS Re Se ae he aes 12.3 12.3 30.1 
Sewage sludge: 
Bee epee SU i eee eae ES re Mat REE . 66 .23 RES 
| eee ane eo aRRR RY WU Sateen Bn NS eee i het 11.9 10.3 26.1 
BOE SR as Se aa aa Se See are ee A 37.9 58.3 Wot | 
TOE Se 5 eA Pe nie eee Oe aa ee te See I PY OPE ene 16.1 35.9 67.9 
G3eter ae ee a Ba a ee Se cee mee 2. 34 . 103 3.58 
Lk eur inn eet mane eN Ln arene Hebe ait 0. See es .25 . 024 .95 
Southern ‘ 
[: RoeR ene Ra! eM EEDA PPR T RS eee eS uk! BG doa ue “Ie 63 2. 87 2.47 
Lh ie ats ee me Onn RS US eg PAs ES Ie ee 1.46 | 43 3.97 
Le ee ee ae EL ln Ae e's a A 1.17 318 8.25 
The water just above the center of the dumping area is almost 
anoxic and inhospitable to benthic animals. The periphery maintains 
a limited benthic community. As long as sufficient oxygen is available 
in the water, these sediment dwellers will ingest the nutrient-rich 
sludge matter as a food source. At the same time, heavy metals from 
the sludge are becoming incorporated into the body tissues of these 
animals. Table 4 contains metal analyses of a worm (Neanthes sp.) 
and a pelecypod (Cyprina icelandica) which were taken from the edge 
of the sludge dump. The values for chromium are an order of magnitude 
ereater than FWPCA maximum allowable concentrations; and for 
lead, two orders of magnitude greater. More analyses are needed 
although the general trend is already discernable: heavy metals are 
becoming’ concentrated in the tissues of benthic animals. © 
TABLE 4.—SANDY HOOK REPORT, 1970 
> Concentration, (p.p:m.) 
Animal ‘Cr Gu- “Pb- 
Nexhttes. 2coitettay ofive ofl _staarhihes on nibyerris 9.3 24/5 
525, 0° 
Cyprinaiicelandica: see. gg ee a AS DE ir 0.0 r al, 3 
FWPCA manual concentrations.____-._____¢ 2-2-2 eee 0.24.0 © 4-50 : 0.5 
The exact nature of these heavy metals is still unknown. The 
metals can be present in either ionic solution or as an organometallic 
complex such as a chelate. Because of the abundance of organic 
materials in the sludge and dredge spoils, the latter form seems 
more probable. The toxicity of heavy metals and heavy metal 
chelate complexes lies in their ability to inhibit enzymes functions. 
Enzymes act as biological catalysts; that is, they increase the rate of 
essential biochemical reactions without themselves being transformed. 
Most enzymes are active only when they are complexed with a specific 
metal; i.e., copper, (Swelter, 1970). When complexed with other 
metals they are biologically inactive. When chelate complexes from 
the sludge are taken into this biological system they are capable of 
