Publication Summary

Seawater samples collected from Port Townsend Bay during August 16-17,1988, were analyzed for EPA priority pollutants, 61 trace elements, herbicides, and nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing compounds in an effort to identify the water-borne toxicant thought responsible for liver disease of pen-reared Atlantic salmon.

Seawater samples collected from Port Townsend Bay during August 16-17,1988, were analyzed for EPA priority pollutants, 61 trace elements, herbicides, and nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing compounds in an effort to identify the water-borne toxicant thought responsible for liver disease of pen-reared Atlantic salmon. Concentrations of EPA priority pollutant metals were low and consistent with those reported for the main basin of Puget Sound and coastal seawater. The elemental composition of the water compared closely to that in samples collected concurrently in nearby Admiralty Inlet. Organic compounds were not detected. These results support conclusions from an earlier October-December 1987 survey of Port Townsend Bay that indicated the level of chemical contamination to be generally low. It is recommended that further investigation into the cause of the liver disease be focused on the occurrence of natural toxins.