Predictions of Sediment Toxicity Using Consensus-Based Freshwater Sediment Quality Guidelines
01 Jul 2001-Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (Arch Environ Contam Toxicol)-Vol. 41, Iss: 1, pp 8-21
TL;DR: Analytical results indicate that the consensus-based PECs can be used to reliably predict toxicity of sediments on both a regional and national basis and that the different patterns in toxicity may be the result of unique chemical signals associated with individual contaminants in samples.
Abstract: The objectives of this study were to compare approaches for evaluating the combined effects of chemical mixtures on the toxicity in field-collected sediments and to evaluate the ability of consensus-based probable effect concentrations (PECs) to predict toxicity in a freshwater database on both a national and regional geographic basis. A database was developed from 92 published reports, which included a total of 1,657 samples with high-quality matching sediment toxicity and chemistry data from across North America. The database was comprised primarily of 10- to 14-day or 28- to 42-day toxicity tests with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (designated as the HA10 or HA28 tests) and 10- to 14-day toxicity tests with the midges Chironomus tentans or C. riparius (designated as the CS10 test). Mean PEC quotients were calculated to provide an overall measure of chemical contamination and to support an evaluation of the combined effects of multiple contaminants in sediments. There was an overall increase in the incidence of toxicity with an increase in the mean quotients in all three tests. A consistent increase in the toxicity in all three tests occurred at a mean quotient > 0.5, however, the overall incidence of toxicity was greater in the HA28 test compared to the short-term tests. The longer-term tests, in which survival and growth are measured, tend to be more sensitive than the shorter-term tests, with acute to chronic ratios on the order of six indicated for H. azteca. Different patterns were observed among the various procedures used to calculate mean quotients. For example, in the HA28 test, a relatively abrupt increase in toxicity was associated with elevated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) alone or with elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) alone, compared to the pattern of a gradual increase in toxicity observed with quotients calculated using a combination of metals, PAHs, and PCBs. These analyses indicate that the different patterns in toxicity may be the result of unique chemical signals associated with individual contaminants in samples. Though mean quotients can be used to classify samples as toxic or nontoxic, individual quotients might be useful in helping identify substances that may be causing or substantially contributing to the observed toxicity. An increase in the incidence of toxicity was observed with increasing mean quotients within most of the regions, basins, and areas in North America for all three toxicity tests. The results of these analyses indicate that the consensus-based PECs can be used to reliably predict toxicity of sediments on both a regional and national basis.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive study aimed at the evaluation of the possible adverse effects for benthic organisms from the Lagoon of Venice due to some persistent organic pollutants by using three different sediment quality guidelines (SQGs).
Abstract: Purpose
The Lagoon of Venice is a well-known Italian environment characterized by heavy chemical pollution. Few studies have been carried out to evaluate the probable hazards of the chemical mixtures toward the biocoenosis. This is the first comprehensive study aimed at the evaluation of the possible adverse effects for benthic organisms from the Lagoon of Venice due to some persistent organic pollutants by using three different sediment quality guidelines (SQGs).
26 citations
Dissertation•
01 Jan 2001
TL;DR: In this article, a demarche for l'evaluation de la qualite des sediments lors d'etudes de biomonitoring est proposee, l'interet des embryons et des larves de bivalves comme outil en ecotoxicologie marine est confirme, notamment par leur utilisation lorsd'un test embryo-larvaire in situ.
Abstract: Les sediments marins et estuariens sont un reservoir pour de nombreux polluants, constituant non seulement une source de contamination pour les organismes aquatiques, mais pouvant egalement poser un probleme de sante publique. La toxicite potentielle de ces sediments a ete determinee a l'aide de bioessais et d'etudes sur la biodisponibilite des hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques (HAP) et metaux contenus dans ces derniers. En comparant les differents stades de developpement testes chez l'huitre Crassostrea gigas et l'oursin Paracentrotus lividus, les embryons et les larves d'huitre sont apparus les plus sensibles et les mieux adaptes pour evaluer la qualite des sediments vis a vis des organismes benthiques (sediment contact ; test d'embryotoxicite) et pelagiques (elutriat ; tests d'embryotoxicite et de croissance larvaire). Il est apparu que d'un point de vu environnemental, les sediments devaient etre testes a l'etat frais. La biodisponibilite des HAP et des metaux sedimentaires a ete abordee via des etudes de bioaccumulation et, dans le cas d'une contamination metallique aussi via l'induction de metallothioneines (MT) chez les larves de C. gigas et de la moule Mytilus galloprovincialis. Bioaccumulation et induction de MT se sont reveles plus sensibles, avec des reponses plus precoces, en comparaison des simples bioessais correspondants. Ils permettent, de plus, de faire le lien entre effets au niveau moleculaire (MT), cellulaire (bioaccumulation), individuel (anomalies larvaires et effets sur la croissance) et populationnel (puisque la survie des larves conditionne le recrutement et par suite le maintien de la population). Une demarche pour l'evaluation de la qualite des sediments lors d'etudes de biomonitoring est proposee, l'interet des embryons et des larves de bivalves comme outil en ecotoxicologie marine est confirme, notamment par leur utilisation lors d'un test embryo-larvaire in situ.
26 citations
TL;DR: Predictive ability evaluations indicate that collectively the mean PEC-Qs provide a reliable basis for classifying sediments as toxic or not toxic in the St. Louis River AOC, in the larger geographic areas of the Great Lakes, and elsewhere in North America.
Abstract: Numerical sediment quality targets (SQTs) for the protection of sediment-dwelling organisms have been established for the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC), 1 of 42 current AOCs in the Great Lakes basin. The two types of SQTs were established primarily from consensus-based sediment quality guidelines. Level I SQTs are intended to identify contaminant concentrations below which harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms are unlikely to be observed. Level II SQTs are intended to identify contaminant concentrations above which harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms are likely to be observed. The predictive ability of the numerical SQTs was evaluated using the matching sediment chemistry and toxicity data set for the St. Louis River AOC. This evaluation involved determination of the incidence of toxicity to amphipods (Hyalella azteca) and midges (Chironomus tentans) within five ranges of Level II SQT quotients (i.e., mean probable effect concentration quotients [PEC-Qs]). The incidence of toxicity was determined based on the results of 10-day toxicity tests with amphipods (endpoints: survival and growth) and 10-day toxicity tests with midges (endpoints: survival and growth). For both toxicity tests, the incidence of toxicity increased as the mean PEC-Q ranges increased. The incidence of toxicity observed in these tests was also compared to that for other geographic areas in the Great Lakes region and in North America for 10- to 14-day amphipod (H. azteca) and 10- to 14-day midge (C. tentans or C. riparius) toxicity tests. In general, the predictive ability of the mean PEC-Qs was similar across geographic areas. The results of these predictive ability evaluations indicate that collectively the mean PEC-Qs provide a reliable basis for classifying sediments as toxic or not toxic in the St. Louis River AOC, in the larger geographic areas of the Great Lakes, and elsewhere in North America.
25 citations
Cites background from "Predictions of Sediment Toxicity Us..."
...Studies on Milwaukee Harbor, WI, sediments revealed that PAHs associated with coal-derived particles, aged over several decades in the field, appeared to be far from reaching an equilibrium sorption state due to the extremely slow diffusivities through the polymer-like coal matrix ( Ghosh et al. 2001 )....
[...]
TL;DR: A new method is presented to determine retrospectively proportional changes of species composition in a community at risk from particular concentrations of chemical stressors, based on species presence/absence field data and requires assumptions that are more likely to be met.
Abstract: A new method is presented to determine retrospectively proportional changes of species composition in a community at risk from particular concentrations of chemical stressors. The method makes estimates with some similarities to those claimed by species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) but is based on species presence/absence field data and requires assumptions that are more likely to be met. The method uses Jaccard's index (JI), the proportion of species in common to two samples. At a similar level of contamination, the occurrence of species is usually highly variable, and thus JI values between individual pairs of samples can be low. However, by pooling samples with a similar contamination level, an increasingly complete set of species present at this level of contamination is gained. Our method involves calculating JI between randomly selected groups of samples (pooled sample sets) with similar and different levels of contamination. It then relates changes in JI to the difference in contamination and produces estimates of the proportional change in species between preselected categories of contamination. The application of the method is illustrated by using data on riverine freshwater macroinvertebrates exposed to salinity in southeastern Australia; pesticide runoff potential in the Aller River Catchment, Germany; and metal pollution (principle Cu) in the Clark Fork River Catchment, Montana, USA.
25 citations
TL;DR: It was found that metal(loid) profiles in sediment peaked during the height of mining operations, and were highest in lakes near the mine's roaster stack, and decreased with distance from the historic mine.
25 citations
References
More filters
TL;DR: In this article, matching biological and chemical data were compiled from numerous modeling, laboratory, and field studies performed in marine and estuarine sediments, and two guideline values (an effects range low and an effects range median) were determined for nine trace metals, total PCBs, two pesticides, 13 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and three classes of PAHs.
Abstract: Matching biological and chemical data were compiled from numerous modeling, laboratory, and field studies performed in marine and estuarine sediments. Using these data, two guideline values (an effects range-low and an effects range-median) were determined for nine trace metals, total PCBs, two pesticides, 13 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and three classes of PAHs. The two values defined concentration ranges that were: (1) rarely, (2) occasionally, or (3) frequently associated with adverse effects. The values generally agreed within a factor of 3 or less with those developed with the same methods applied to other data and to those developed with other effects-based methods. The incidence of adverse effects was quantified within each of the three concentration ranges as the number of cases in which effects were observed divided by the total number of observations. The incidence of effects increased markedly with increasing concentrations of all of the individual PAHs, the three classes of PAHs, and most of the trace metals. Relatively poor relationships were observed between the incidence of effects and the concentrations of mercury, nickel, total PCB, total DDT and p,p′-DDE. Based upon this evaluation, the approach provided reliable guidelines for use in sediment quality assessments. This method is being used as a basis for developing National sediment quality guidelines for Canada and informal, sediment quality guidelines for Florida.
3,869 citations
"Predictions of Sediment Toxicity Us..." refers background in this paper
...…concentrations because previous studies have demonstrated that normalization of SQGs for PAHs or PCBs to total organic carbon (Barrick et al. 1988, Long et al. 1995, Ingersoll et al. 1996) or normalization of metals to acidvolatile sulfides (Long et al. 1998b) did not improve the predictions of…...
[...]
...Similarly, Long et al. (1998a) reported a 56 to 71% incidence of toxicity at mean quotients of >1....
[...]
TL;DR: It was concluded that the consensus-based SQGs provide a reliable basis for assessing sediment quality conditions in freshwater ecosystems.
Abstract: Numerical sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) for freshwater ecosystems have previously been developed using a variety of approaches. Each approach has certain advantages and limitations which influence their application in the sediment quality assessment process. In an effort to focus on the agreement among these various published SQGs, consensus-based SQGs were developed for 28 chemicals of concern in freshwater sediments (i.e., metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides). For each contaminant of concern, two SQGs were developed from the published SQGs, including a threshold effect concentration (TEC) and a probable effect concentration (PEC). The resultant SQGs for each chemical were evaluated for reliability using matching sediment chemistry and toxicity data from field studies conducted throughout the United States. The results of this evaluation indicated that most of the TECs (i.e., 21 of 28) provide an accurate basis for predicting the absence of sediment toxicity. Similarly, most of the PECs (i.e., 16 of 28) provide an accurate basis for predicting sediment toxicity. Mean PEC quotients were calculated to evaluate the combined effects of multiple contaminants in sediment. Results of the evaluation indicate that the incidence of toxicity is highly correlated to the mean PEC quotient (R(2) = 0.98 for 347 samples). It was concluded that the consensus-based SQGs provide a reliable basis for assessing sediment quality conditions in freshwater ecosystems.
2,732 citations
"Predictions of Sediment Toxicity Us..." refers background or methods or result in this paper
...The TECs were calculated by determining the geometric mean of the SQGs that were included in this category (MacDonald et al. 2000a)....
[...]
...…results of these three previous investigations demonstrated that the consensus-based SQGs provide a unifying synthesis of the existing guidelines, reflect causal rather than correlative effects, and account for the effects of contaminant mixtures in sediment (Swartz 1999, MacDonald et al. 2000a,b)....
[...]
...A second paper developed and evaluated consensus-based SQGs for total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to address a similar mixture paradox for that group of contaminants (MacDonald et al. 2000b)....
[...]
...The consensus-based PECs listed in Table 1 were critically evaluated by MacDonald et al. (2000a) to determine if they would provide effective tools for assessing sediment quality conditions in freshwater ecosystems....
[...]
...Therefore, the differences in this “MPP approach” from the approach used by MacDonald et al. (2000a) are: (1) an average quotient for metals was used instead of the individual quotients for metals and (2) sum DDE was not used in the calculation....
[...]
TL;DR: The ERhls and PELs indicated high predictive ability in samples in which many substances exceeded these concentrations, and the incidence of toxicity increased with increases in concentntions of mixtures of chemicals normalized to the SQGs.
Abstract: .-Mat~hing'syno~tically collected chemical and laboratory bioassay data (n = 1.068) were compiled from analyses of surficial sediment samples collecred during 1990 to 1993 to evaluate the predictive ability of sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). specifically, effects range-low (ERL). effects range-median (ERM). threshold effects level (TELL and probable eifects level (PEL) values. Dam were acquired from surveys of sediment quality periomed in estuaries along the Atlantic. Pacific. and Gulf of hlexico coasts. Samples were classified as either nontoxic (p > 0.05 re!ative to controls). marginally toxic @ < 0.05 only). or highly toxic @ < 0.05 and response greater than minimum significant difference :elalive to controls). This analysis indic-red that. when nor exceeded. [he ERLs and TELs were highly predictive of nontoxicity. The percenrages of samples that were highly toxic generally increased with increasing numbers of guidelines (panicularly the EX.\.ls and PELS) that were exceeded. Also. the incidence of toxicity increased with increases in concentntions of mixtures of chemicals normalized to (divided by) the SQGs. The ERhls and PELs indicated high predictive ability in samples in which many substances exceeded these concentrations. Suggestions are provided on the uses of these estimates of the predictive ability oi sediment ~uidelines.
771 citations
"Predictions of Sediment Toxicity Us..." refers background or methods or result in this paper
...Alternatively, Long et al. (1998a) classified sediments in a marine amphipod database as either marginally toxic (significantly reduced relative to the control) or as highly toxic (significantly reduced relative to the control with a reduction greater than a minimum significant difference; MSD)....
[...]
...Long et al. (1998a) and Field et al. (1999) reported reduced variability in the relationship between toxicity and sediment contamination when toxicity was evaluated using a standardized approach....
[...]
...The incidence of toxicity was only 12% at mean quotients of <0.1 (quotients calculated using either marine effect range median (ERM) or probable effect level (PEL) guidelines; Long et al. 1998a)....
[...]
...Long et al. (1998a) also observed an elevated incidence of toxicity with marine amphipods at low mean quotients....
[...]
...For this reason, the evaluation of the predictive ability of the SQGs in the present study was conducted to determine the incidence of effects above and below various mean PEC quotients (mean quotients of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0; Ingersoll et al. 1998, Long et al. 1998a, Fairey et al. 2000)....
[...]
01 Mar 1990
657 citations
"Predictions of Sediment Toxicity Us..." refers background or methods in this paper
...Alternatively, Long et al. (1998a) classified sediments in a marine amphipod database as either marginally toxic (significantly reduced relative to the control) or as highly toxic (significantly reduced relative to the control with a reduction greater than a minimum significant difference; MSD). The MSD was established by Long et al. (1998a) using a power analysis of data from 10-day marine amphipod tests (Thursby et al....
[...]
...Alternatively, Long et al. (1998a) classified sediments in a marine amphipod database as either marginally toxic (significantly reduced relative to the control) or as highly toxic (significantly reduced relative to the control with a reduction greater than a minimum significant difference; MSD)....
[...]
01 Jan 1993
613 citations