New perspectives in ecotoxicology

Levin, Simon A.; Kimball, Kenneth D.; McDowell, William H.; Kimball, Sarah

doi:10.1007/bf01871807

Cited by 114 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 157 publications

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“…In fact, some of the initial equilibrium partitioning work related to fish. In addition, fish, crustacea, and polychaetes have active enzyme systems capable ofmetabolizing substantial portions ofbioaccumulated PAHs, some PCBs, and similar compounds (39,40,71,81 (39,40,86). This hypothesis evolved from experimental evidence in the laboratory and explained observations in the field obtained during the late 1960s and early 1970s when there were significant discharges of pollutant organic chemicals via effluents and transfer to water in aquatic ecosystems from atmospheric transport and runoff from land.…”

Section: Metabolismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeochemical Processes Governing Exposure and Uptake of Organic Pollutant Compounds in Aquatic Organisms

Farrington¹

1991

Environmental Health Perspectives

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This paper reviews current knowledge of biogeochemical cycles of pollutant organic chemicals in aquatic ecosystems with a focus on coastal ecosystems. There is a bias toward discussng chemkal and geochemical aspects ofbiogeochemical cycles and an emphasis on hydrophobic organic compounds such as polynuckar aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlorinated organic compounds used as pesticides. The complexity of mixtures of pollutant organic compounds, their various modes ofentering ecosystems, and their physical chemical forms are discussed. Important factors that influence bioavailability and disposition (e.g., organism-water partitioning, uptake via food, food meb transfer) are reviewed. These factors include solubilities ofchemicals; partitioning ofchemicals between solid surfaces, colloids, and soluble phases; variables rates of sorption, desorption; and physiological status of organism. It appears that more emphasis on considering food as a source of uptake and bioaccumulation is important in benthic and epibenthic ecosystems when sediment-associated pollutants are a nt source ofinput to an aquatic ecosystem. Progress with mathematical models for exposure and uptake of contaminant chemicals is discussed briefly.

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Section: Metabolismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeochemical Processes Governing Exposure and Uptake of Organic Pollutant Compounds in Aquatic Organisms

Farrington¹

1991

Environmental Health Perspectives

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“…Risk assessments based on single-species laboratory toxicity tests have several limitations [7,8], and such estimated risks may be overestimated or underestimated [6]. The European Commission's technical guidance document on risk assessment [9] states that when determining the size of the assessment factor, results from field/mesocosm studies have to be used to evaluate the laboratory-to-field extrapolation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of zinc on diversity of riverine benthic macroinvertebrates: Estimation of safe concentrations from field data

Iwasaki

Kagaya

Miyamoto

et al. 2011

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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We conducted field surveys at 25 sites in three Japanese catchments to provide conservative estimates of the safe concentration of zinc (Zn) for the protection of riverine macroinvertebrate diversity. The relationships between the Zn concentration and six macroinvertebrate metrics for taxon richness were determined by using regression analysis; this included a piecewise regression model, where two lines are joined at an unknown point. For each metric the piecewise regression model with a zero slope below a threshold concentration was selected as the best model to explain the influence of Zn. Under the assumption that macroinvertebrate diversity reductions of <10% are acceptable, the safe concentrations of Zn were estimated to be 84, 115, 84, 80, 85, and 70 µg/L for total taxon richness, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness, mayfly richness, caddisfly richness, chironomid richness, and estimated total taxon richness at the riffle scale, respectively. These concentrations are more than twice the water quality standard for Zn in Japan (30 µg/L), suggesting that the standard is likely overprotective for macroinvertebrate diversity. Field studies are useful for evaluating the level of protectiveness of safe concentrations (water quality standards) based on individual-level effects from laboratory toxicity tests, and this evaluation process will have a crucial role in implementing more purpose-driven ecological risk managements that aim to protect natural populations and communities.

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“…It is probably more common that organisms are pulse-exposed for hydrographical reasons (such as tidal currents along oceanic coasts or, in the Baltic, currents of various directions caused by changes in air pressure influencing the water level, or wind-induced currents; periodic turnover of water layers in stratified bodies of water; other convections, e. g., upwelling phenomena). A more complete overview of environmental factors modifying toxicity is to be found in Levin et al (1984), Sprague (1984), andMcLusky et al (1986). The time scale of exposure to a certain chemical discharge may thus vary from minutes to several months, with regular (or most obviously completely irregular) intervals, and the actual concentrations of a toxicant from 0 to 100% of the potential maximum (this approach was tested experimentally in situ by Bakke et al 1982).…”

Section: Acute Chronic and Intermittent Exposurementioning

confidence: 98%

“…Some of these requirements and limitations in the performance of tests and choice of test organisms are discussed in this chapter in a Baltic perspective, in part modified according to Slooff (1983) and Monk (1983) (see also Levin et at. 1984 andSprague 1984 for recent reviews on most topics in this and subsequent chapters, and Lassig and Lahdes 1980 for biological monitoring and effect studies in the Baltic Sea specifically).…”

Section: Test Organisms and Test Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They found ecosystem equivalents to these responses and described a general adaptation syndrome for ecosystems; a sequence of stress-induced changes which can be adopted in a multitude of case studies: (1) initial effects of stress ("alarm reactions"), (2) feedback mechanisms which tend to counteract the effects of stress ("coping reactions"), and (3) breakdown of the ecosystem. This means that there are limits to the resilience of ecosystems; avoidance of the breakdown phase will be one of the future goals of ecotoxicology (Levin et al 1984). It is important to note, however, that stress is not only a response reaction, but rather a syndrome of both input and output, i. e., both stimulus and response (Odum 1985).…”

Section: Environmental Gradients Toxic Chemicals and Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecosystem Variability and Gradients. Examples from the Baltic Sea as a Background for Hazard Assessment

Leppäkoski¹,

Bonsdorff²

1989

Springer Series on Environmental Management

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SummaryIn aquatic hazard assessment used for extrapolations over entire ecosystems or water bodies, the environmental gradients which greatly modify the fate and effects of chemical substances in aquatic communities (marine, estuarine, brackish-water, as well as limnic) must be known. The Baltic Sea, in spite of being a geographically very limited water basin, is characterized by a great variety of hydrographical and biological gradients. Thus this cmc1osed, brackishwater sea is used as an overall example of the problems that arise when interpreting ecotoxicological data, from the "eco" point of view, in a variable environment. The aim is to elucidate problems in identifying species and subsystems at risk, as well as differences along the natural gradients, in patterns of response to exposure at population and ecosystem level. Consequently, toxicity gradients are formed from the south to the north, and, in a permanently stratified body of water, vertical differences in relative toxicity (toxiclines) of e. g., heavy metals can be determined. Possible test strategies, and in particular their field validation, are discussed in relation to the environmental gradients described, and to different concepts of community stress and recovery. IntroductionAmong aquatic ecotoxicologists the general difficulties in applying the results of small-scale laboratory testing of harmful substances to an "ecological reality" have been repeatedly discussed. The purpose of this paper is to visualize how some of these difficulties are manifested within a single: body of water, the Baltic Sea. The same problem is also valid for other bodies of water, e. g., inland waters. Thus many of the viewpoints presented couldl be illustrated with examples from lakes (e. g., along the oligotrophy-eutrophy gradient, or in relation to continuing acidification) or running waters in northern latitudes. We have selected the Baltic Sea as an example of this complex problem, for several reasons, however. Firstly, it represents an enclosed sea surrounded by seven nations with very different effiuents to the Baltic, and secondly, it is one of the best-studied large aquatic ecosystems, covering gradients of vital importance to the understanding of toxicity both in marine and limnic environments.The Baltic Sea covers no more than 0.1% of the total area of the world ocean, but it is large and complicated enough to offer a good framework for a L. Landner (ed.), Chemicals in the Aquatic Environment

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New perspectives in ecotoxicology

Cited by 114 publications

References 157 publications

Biogeochemical Processes Governing Exposure and Uptake of Organic Pollutant Compounds in Aquatic Organisms

Biogeochemical Processes Governing Exposure and Uptake of Organic Pollutant Compounds in Aquatic Organisms

Effect of zinc on diversity of riverine benthic macroinvertebrates: Estimation of safe concentrations from field data

Ecosystem Variability and Gradients. Examples from the Baltic Sea as a Background for Hazard Assessment

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