Modeling the relationship between emerging and persistent organic contaminants in water, sediment and oysters from a temperate lagoon.

The concentrations of emerging and persistent organic contaminants (EPOC) in oysters (C) from Aveiro Lagoon are represented as a function of their concentrations in water (C) and sediment (C) using linear and generalized additive models (LM, GAM). Additionally, four sampling seasons, octanol/water partition coefficients (K) and type of EPOC (pyrethroids, flame-retardants, musks, UV filters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, others) are included in the models. The probabilities of detection of EPOC in water, sediment and oysters are analyzed by GAM. The behavior of contaminants in water is determined by K with a clear seasonal trend. Sediments are reservoirs for hydrophobic compounds with less seasonal variation. Seasonal changes are found for C, the last being determined additively both by C and hydrophobicity from one side and by C and type of contaminants from the other side. The seasonal change of EPOC concentration in water, sediment and oysters is specific for each contaminant type.