Sediment toxicity assessment

Burton, G. and Allen, Jr. (Ed.) (1992). Sediment Toxicity Assessment. Boca Raton, FL Lewis. 

Hill, I.R., Matthiessen, R, and Heimbach, F. (Eds.) (1993). Guidance Document on Sediment Toxicity Tests and Bioassays for Ereshwater and Marine Environments. SETAC Europe Workshop on Sediment Toxicity Assessment. Renesse, the Netherlands, November 8-10, 1993. 

Ginn, T.C. and R.A. Pastorok. 1992. Assessment and management of contaminated sediments in Puget Sound. Pages 371-401 in G.A. Burton, Jr. (ed.). Sediment Toxicity Assessment. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. 

Burton GA (1992) In Burton GA (ed) Sediment Toxicity Assessment Lewis, Boca Raton, FL, USA, p. 37-66. 

Our literature review has shown that sediment toxicity assessment has received marked attention over the past decades and that bioassays have been largely used for this purpose. Contaminated environments, for instance, have triggered many studies conducted to detect and quantify sediment toxicity, to determine the extent of its impact, and to enhance understanding of its short and long-term effects on aquatic communities. 

Table 13. Testing frequency of specific sediment phases for sediment toxicity assessment based on the 75 papers classified in Tables 9 and 10.

During exposure to contaminated sediments, test organisms can concentrate chemicals in their tissue and exhibit measurable (sub)lethal effects linked to accumulated substances. In the field of sediment toxicity assessment, it is noteworthy to mention that some studies have been conducted to characterize both exposure and biological effects in parallel. Exposure to contaminants can be gauged by measuring their concentrations in water/sediment and tissue, and effects can be estimated with endpoints such as survival and growth. These studies are important, for example, to detect threshold concentrations at which chemicals begin to exert adverse effects. As such, they can be useful to recommend effective chemical quality standards that will be protective of aquatic life. 

Cote, C., Blaise, C., Michaud, J.-R., Menard, L., Trottier, S., Gagne, F. and Lifshitz, R. (1998a) Comparisons between microscale and whole-sediment assays for freshwater sediment toxicity assessment, Environmental Toxicology and Water Quality 13 (1), 93-110. 

Lauten, K.P. (1993) Sediment toxicity assessment - North Saskatchewan River, Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1942, 360-367. 

Onorati, F., Pellegrini, D. and Ausili, A. (1998) Sediment toxicity assessment with Photobacterium phosphoreum a preliminary evaluation of natural matrix effect, Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 7 (Special), 596-604. 

The first study was designed to assess the suitability of various microscale bioassays and recommend an appropriate testing strategy for sediment toxicity assessment (Cote et al., 1998a,b). The recommended test batteries included seven micro-scale laboratory assays conducted on bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), cnidarians (Hydra attenuata), micro-crustaceans (Thamnocephalus platyurus), and benthic macroinvertebrates (Hyalella azteca and Chironomus riparius), and involved two phases of exposure (pore water and whole sediment). A total of 16 stations were included in the toxicity assessment scheme. 

Cairns J, Niederlehner BR, Smith EP. 1992. The emergence of functional attributes as endpoints in ecotoxicology. In Burton GA, Jr, editor. Sediment toxicity assessment. Boca Raton (FL) Lewis Publishers, p 111-128. 

The SeKT joint research project was initiated with the aim of comparing recently developed sediment contact assays by addressing reference conditions, control sediments and toxicity thresholds for their application in limnic sediment toxicity assessment (Feiler et al., 2005). 

Ahlf, W. and Heise, S. (2005) Sediment toxicity assessment rationale for effect classes, JSS - J. Soils Sediments, 5(1), pp. 16-20. 

Lee H II (1992) Models, muddles, and mud Predicting bioaccumulation of sediment-associated pollutants. In Burton GA Jr (ed) Sediment Toxicity Assessment. Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, MI, pp 267-293. 

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