API Publ 4608:1994 pdf download.User’s Guide: Evaluation of Sediment Toxicity Tests for Biomonitoring Programs
Reliable toxicity tests are currently available for testing of marine, estuarine, and freshwater sediments as part of biomonitoring programs for wastewater discharges. Sediment toxicity tests provide an integrated measure of the effects of sediment contamination that eliminates much of the uncertainty associated with predicting toxicity from sediment chemistry alone. When combined with surveys of animals living in the sediments, sediment toxicity tests can be used to assess existing condi- tions, rank sites for cleanup priority, and monitor changes in contaminant effects with time (Chapman et al. 1992). However, the use of inappropriate test methods or species and the failure to consider physi- cal and chemical factors that can affect the results of the tests may diminish the value of biological toxicity testing (Burton 1991; Hill et al. 1993). The purpose of this User’s Guide is to provide information that will enable environmental personnel at petroleum facilities to select sediment toxicity tests and test methods that are scientifically valid and appropriate for a specific site. For those readers who are unfamiliar with sediment toxicity testing, this User’s Guide explains general aspects of sediment toxicity testing and how to use available technical information. This document also outlines the technical requirements and appropriate condi- tions for using different sediment toxicity test methods. A companion document, Evaluation of Sediment Toxicity Tests for Biomonitoring Programs (PTI,1994) hereafter referred to as the Technical Resource Document, has been prepared to provide technical background on the test methods and the detailed rationale for the evaluations presented here. The Technical Resource Document is intended to be used as a reference tool for the test selection process and also as an information resource to support negotiations with agencies concerning the appropri- ateness of any recommended tests.
The term sediment toxicity test, as used here, refers to any laboratory method that measures the adverse biological response of a group of organisms to a sample of test sediment. Some sediment toxicity tests measure lethal effects by determining the num- ber of organisms that are killed during the exposure period. Other tests measure sublethal effects such as developmental abnormalities in juvenile stages, inhibition of reproduction, or reduced growth. Sediment toxicity tests are used in many biomonitoring programs because they integrate the effects of multiple chemicals and can be used in conjunction with chemical measurements and sur- veys of sedimentdwelling organisms to establish cause-effect relationships. Sediment toxicity tests are also the primary tool for any toxicity identifica- tion and evaluation program. Sediment toxicity tests are available for many different species and various life stages of some species. For example, they may be conducted on embryos, larvae, and juveniles of various fish species, as well as embryos and juve- niles of invertebrates such as clams, oysters, and sea urchins. Sediment toxicity tests can also be con- ducted with microscopic algae and bacteria, sub- merged aquatic plants (e.g., water hyacinth), and wetland plants (e.g., marsh grass).
API Publ 4608:1994 pdf download
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