DDT, Chlordane, Toxaphene and PCB Residues in Newport Bay and Watershed: Assessment of Hazard to Wildlife and Human Health - Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology - page 141

Table 29 Correlation of sediment concentrations of metals and organics with amphipod toxicity.
Table 30 reproduced from the Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program report (CSWRCB 1998 )
Table 30 Spearman Rank Correlation results for selected toxicants signifi cantly correlated with
amphipod toxicity (Eohaustorius and Rhepoxynius) results from specifi c water bodies
Water Body Chemical N Spearman Rho Signifi cance

Anaheim Bay Selenium 22 −0.453 0.025

Huntington Harbor Antimony 15 −0.757 0.001

Huntington Harbor Lead 15 −0.629 0.01

Huntington Harbor Tin 15 −0.842 0.0005

Newport Bay Percent Fines 20 −0.649 0.0025

Newport Bay TOC 20 −0.422 0.05

Newport Bay Antimony 20 −0.458 0.025

Newport Bay Chromium 20 −0.598 0.005

Newport Bay Copper 20 −0.542 0.01

Newport Bay Lead 20 −0.392 0.05

Newport Bay Mercury 20 −0.444 0.05

Newport Bay Nickel 20 −0.633 0.0025

Newport Bay Tin 20 −0.495 0.025

Newport Bay Zinc 20 −0.497 0.025

Newport Bay Total Chlordane 20 −0.380 0.05

Newport Bay Total PCB 20 −0.408 0.05

4.2.1 Correlations of Sediment Residues and Benthic Toxicity

The second component in the triad is toxicity of sediments to benthic organisms.
Two bioassays, used extensively in Newport Bay studies, are mortality to amphi-
pods and sediment pore water inhibition of fertilization and larval development in
purple sea urchins. Chlordane was negatively correlated with amphipod survival for
20 sampling sites in Newport Bay as shown in Table 29 , which is reproduced above
from the Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program report (CSWRCB 1998 ).
The correlation coeffi cient was −0.38, and was signifi cant at the 0.05 level.
Higher correlations were observed in the same samples with percent fi nes, total
organic carbon, and eight metals. The chlordane residue level was not correlated
with inhibition of purple sea urchin fertilization or larval development in sediment
pore water samples from Newport Bay (SWRCB 1998 ). The chlordane residue level
was correlated with inhibition of purple sea urchin larval development in data col-
lected in the entirety of the area regulated by the SARWQCB (Region 8), but the
report did not indicate whether this correlation applied to Newport Bay. Many of the
sediment samples from Newport Bay contained levels of ammonia and sulfi de that
were toxic in the amphipod and purple sea urchin bioassays. Hence, the toxicity
observed in many of the sediments was due to ammonia and sulfi de.
The third component of the triad is benthic community degradation. Crustaceans
are generally the most sensitive species in the benthos and are given extra weight in
the benthic index. The benthic index was not reported to be correlated with chlordane
concentrations in sediments from Newport Bay (Table 29 in CSWRCB 1998 ).