Development of a toxicity identification evaluation procedure for characterizing metal toxicity in marine sediments

Abstract

Abstract-A multiagency effort is underway to develop whole sediment toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods. Whole sediment TIE methods will be critical tools for characterizing toxicity at hazardous waste sites (e.g., Superfund sites) and in the conduct of environmental risk assessments. The research approach is based on the predominance of three classes of toxicants in sediments: ammonia, nonpolar organic chemicals, and metals. Here we describe a procedure for characterizing acute toxicity caused by metals in whole marine sediments. The procedure involves adding a chelating resin to sediments, resulting in the sequestration of bioavailable metal while not stressing testing organisms. Within the testing chambers, the presence of resin resulted in statistically significant reductions in the overlying and interstitial water concentrations of five metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc) generally by factors of 40 and 200. Toxicity to both the amphipod Ampelisca abdita and mysid Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia) of sediments spiked with the five metals was decreased by approximately a factor of four when resin was present. While very effective at reducing the concentrations and toxicity of metals, the resin has only minor ameliorative effects on the toxicity of ammonia and a representative nonpolar toxicant (Endosulfan). Resin and accumulated metal were easily isolated from the testing system following exposures allowing for the initiation of phase II TIE (identification) procedures. This procedure using the addition of a chelating resin provides an approach for determining the importance of metals to the toxicity of marine sediments. Work is continuing to validate the method with environmentally contaminated sediments.

Identifying the causes of sediment‐associated contamination in the Illinois River (USA) using a whole‐sediment toxicity identification evaluation

“…Sand was added in proportion to amendment additions to sediments not receiving amending materials to compensate for potential dilution effects. Sediments were allowed to equilibrate for 24 to 36 h prior to the addition of test organisms [9,12,17]. Phase I testing, excluding ammonia phase I testing, was conducted using the same 10-d bioassay methodology used in the screening experiments.…”

“…The resin affinity for the metals of interest was Cu [17]. The resin was rinsed five times with deionized water, and then stored at 48C in deionized water at a ratio of one part resin to three parts water.…”

Thyroid hormone disrupting activities of sediment from the Guanting Reservoir, Beijing, China

“…When examining the sediment toxicity, the sediment extracts and elutriates from the test procedures are normally used [12][13][14]. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and characterize the thyroid disrupting effect of the sediment collected in the Guanting Reservoir, Beijing.…”

Assessment of supercritical fluid extraction use in whole sediment toxicity identification evaluations

“…These sites are relatively uncontaminated and, especially LIS, have been used as control sites for several studies in our laboratory [24,25]. Sediment from Elizabeth River (ER) (Virginia, USA) contains some of the highest PAH concentrations reported anywhere in the world [26].…”