Dispersants were used in shallow water (4-6 m) and in the surf zone at a small spill (400 bbls) of Venezuelan Recon at the port of Acajutla, Fl Salvador in June 1994. Subtidal oysters were collected 1 and 4 weeks post-spill to determine the degree of exposure of benthic resources to the dispersed oil. Two samples of oysters from the area of dispersed oil contained total PAHs of 147 and 164 ppm, dry weight, compared with background levels less than 1.0 ppm. Four weeks post-spill, PAH levels decreased by 94-98%. Half-lives for individual PAH compounds were estimated and were generally consistent with results from laboratory experiments. Monitoring of bivalves during dispersant applications can document the areal and vertical extent of dispersed oil in the water column.