Rising arsenic levels in water and blue mussels in German coastal waters

Anthropogenic and natural processes contribute to the distribution of arsenic in the environment. Soluble trivalent arsenic compounds are highly toxic, and some arsenic species are known human carcinogens. Data were retrieved from Germany’s marine environmental database (Meeresumweltdatenbank) to illustrate the distribution of concentrations, identify potential hotspots, and show trends over time. We investigated total arsenic concentrations in water, sediment, and blue mussels in German coastal waters with a focus on anthropogenic pollution caused by submerged military munitions. Here, we show that a general upward trend in arsenic concentrations in water and blue mussels can be seen over the last 10–20 years. However, German environmental quality standards are not exceeded. Elevated arsenic concentrations were not observed in relation to proximity to known dump sites of conventional munitions or to the coast. Concentrations in the North Sea were higher in comparison to samples from the Baltic Sea, but similar to those globally.