Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 6.9
Examples of integrated sediment toxicity assessment.
Ecosystem
Tier
LBO
TL
CA
Contaminants
Species
Duration
Reference
Marine
3
B; C; P
1
Yes
PAHs, metals
Perna perna
1 season
Pereira
et al.
(2007)
Marine
1, 2
D; S
2
Yes
PAHs, PCBs,
HCs, HCBs,
dioxins; metals
Corrophium
volutator;
Paracentrotus
lividus
-
Apitz
et al.
(2007)
Marine
1,
T
2
Yes
PAHs, PCBs,
metals
Scrobicularia
plana; Solea
senegalensis
1 year
Riba
et al.
(2005)
Marine
1, 2
B; H
1
Yes
PAHs
Sparus auratus
SC
Morales-Caselles
et al.
(2006)
Estuary
1
DNA; G; S
2
Yes
PAHs, PCBs,
metals
Vibrio fi sheri;
Ampelisca
abdita; A. verilli;
Mercenaria
mercenaria
2 SS
Hyland
et al.
(1998)
Estuary
B; C; DNA;
P; M
2
-
PAHs; TBT;
metals
Carcinus maenas;
Cerastoderma
edule; Littorina
littorea
SC
Galloway
et al.
(2004)
Estuary
3
Pop
1
Yes
PAHs, PCBs,
DDT, Metals
Palaemonetes
pugio
1 year
Fulton
et al.
(2006)
River
1, 2
DNA; B; C; D
-
-
-
RTL-W1 cell line
SC
Keiter
et al.
(2006)
B, biochemical; C, cellular; CA, chemical analysis; D, development; DNA, genetic; G, growth; H, histopathology; LBO, level of biological
organisation; M, morphological; P, physiological; Pop, population; RTL-W1, rainbow trout liver cell line; S, survival; SC, single
collection event; SS, summer season; T, tissue; TL, trophic level.
and possess direct ecological relevance to a range of
locations. The use of test species native to the par-
ticular region of interest can improve the ecological
relevance of a given test, but data may not be com-
parable to those obtained with more cosmopolitan
species.
In conclusion, it is essential to employ an inte-
grated battery approach for the assessment of sedi-
ments, using both chemical characterization and
ecotoxicological testing that comprises economically
viable multi-exposure routes and multi-trophic tests
to provide an ecologically relevant perspective on the
sediment quality.
sion tree provides useful information, only a fully
integrated approach will yield the necessary data to
evaluate the extent of the likely impact of a proposed
development or remediation activity on the aquatic
environment in general and its sediments in particu-
lar. Therefore, in addition to performing bioassays
within different tiers, elements of an integrated
approach to sediment quality assessment should also
include the following:
•
the monitoring of sediment chemistry through
qualitative and quantitative contaminant analysis
and the physico-chemical characterization through
graniometry and water content;
•
the assessment of contaminant fate through deter-
mining the bioavailability and bioaccumulation
potential of contaminants under site-specifi c
conditions;
•
the use of indicator species from different
trophic levels to determine the tendency of contami-
nants to travel through the food chain and
biomagnify;
6.5 Recommendations and future
research
This chapter has attempted to give a general over-
view of sediment quality assessment procedures
broken down to their individual levels or tiers.
Although each individual level within a tiered deci-
