This data report details the chemistry results for Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) and Red rock crab (Cancer productus) tissue collected in October 2014 near public fishing piers in Elliott Bay and locations in the Central Basin of Puget Sound within King County. Crab tissue (muscle and hepatopancreas) was analyzed for metals, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) using both Aroclor and homolog analysis methods, and lipids. This study found that some metals were preferentially accumulated in each of the tissue types (muscle and hepatopancreas). Total PCB concentrations, as measured by both homologs and Aroclors, were higher in hepatopancreas tissues compared to their respective muscle tissues for both species. There was a predominance of penta- and hexachlorobiphenyl homologs in Dungeness and Red rock crab muscle and hepatopancreas. Total PCB concentrations measured using the homolog method were very comparable to those measured using the Aroclor method.
Tissue chemistry results are compared to data collected by WDFW in similar areas to the King County study as well as fish tissue-equivalent concentrations of Washington’s human health-based water quality standards. Both the King County and WDFW studies had similar findings. All PCB concentrations in Dungeness crab muscle and hepatopancreas samples collected by King County and WDFW exceeded fish tissue-equivalent concentrations of human health-based water quality criteria applicable to Washington State. This report presents the first results for King County’s long-term contaminant monitoring in crab tissue; the next sampling effort is expected to occur in 2018.