Temporal trends of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn in mussel žMytilus gallopro incialis) from the Spanish North-Atlantic coast 1991 1999

Temporal trends for heavy metals ŽCd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn. in mussel ŽMytilus gallopro incialis. from the Galician and Cantabrian areas in Spain, where samples were yearly collected from 1991 to 1999, are presented. This study was carried out by the Centro Oceanogr´afico de Vigo of the Instituto Espa˜nol de Oceanogra´fia ŽI.E.O.. as part of the Spanish contribution to the Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme ŽJAMP. of the OSPAR Convention. The experimental work and subsequent statistical treatment, following OSPAR procedures and guidelines, are described. In order to carry out the statistical treatment of the data, median values of the different shell length classes were used for each contaminant, year and area. The Kendall -b correlation coefficient was used with the purpose of demonstrating the existence of a downward significant temporal trend in the pollution levels, according to the advice of ICES Working Group on Statistical Aspects of Environmental Monitoring. A decrease of copper levels was detected in Vigo, Pontevedra and Arosa, of mercury in Pontevedra and A Coru˜na, of lead in Vigo, Pontevedra, A Coru˜na and Bilbao and of zinc in Pontevedra and A Coru˜na. However, a cadmium positive trend was registered at Ria de Vigo. No significant trends were detected in the other cases.