Benthic organisms and

Homung, H., B.S. Krumgalz, and Y. Cohen. 1984. Mercury pollution in sediments, benthic organisms and inshore fishes of Haifa Bay, Israel. Mar. Environ. Res. 12 191-208. 

J. 1998, Bioavailability of polychlorinated diphenylethers (PDPEs) in contaminated sediments Comparison of benthic organisms and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs). Organohal. Comp. 39 5-8. 

The receptors of interest included pelagic organisms, benthic organisms and marine mammals (dolphins/porpoises). For the pelagic and benthic organisms, ecological risk assessment was conducted at the population level. For the dolphins and porpoises, risk assessment was conducted at the organism level. 

In the marine life, 700 genera representing 13 phyla contain luminous specimens, Echinoderms represent a major phylum of benthic organisms and although their ability to produce light has been reported for decades, little is known about bioluminescence in this phylum. In echinoderms, four of the five classes contains luminous representatives (Fig. lA), a total number of 91 luminous species are now reported. ... 

Trophic level studies Indicated a decrease in Pu concentration with increase in trophic level (57). The CF values for benthic organisms and bottom feeding fishes were significantly higher than for piscivorous fish or for planktivorous fish ( v 1000 and 270 vs 4 and 20, respectively). Concentration factors derived from studies in a wide variety of freshwater and marine ecosystems are shown in Fig. 5. Invertebrates and algae exhibit higher CF values (10° - lO4) than fishes (0.0 - 50). The differences in CF values probably reflect differences in the source and chemical form of Pu at the various study sites. 

Sensitivity of biotests in terms of uncertainty considerations refers to the potential of a test system to indicate or to predict correctly the effects of contaminants in the sediment, thereby minimising false positive (nontoxic sample inconectly classified as toxic) and false negative (toxic sample incorrectly classified as nontoxic) results. Ingersoll et al. (1997) pointed out that whole-sediment tests with benthic organisms and acute measurement endpoints showed a high degree of certainty in this respect. This has also been shown by Ronnpagel et al. (1998) for a bacteria contact test which correlated well with the autochthonous microbial activity in experiments with spiked sediments. 

The nutrients were necessary to maintain benthic organism and algal populations that were food sources for the sardines, anchovies, and shrimp. 

All benthic organisms and sediment were obtained from the waters of central Chesapeake Bay or the Patuxent River subestuary (9-15% salinity). Samples were either processed immediately or kept on ice until processing. Sediment used for the enzyme induction study was brought into the lab and mixed thoroughly. Some of this mud served as control and replicate samples contained additions of blue crab chitin presented as 2.5-4 mm particles. One liter polyethylene tubs were filled to the brim with experimental or control mud and placed under ambient flowing seawater. 

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