Dredged Material Analysis Tools; Performance of Acute and Chronic Sediment Toxicity Methods

• Main Authors: Steevens, Jeffery, Kennedy, Alan, Farrar, Daniel, McNemar, Cory, Reiss, Mark R, Kropp, Roy K, Doi, Jon, Bridges, Todd
• Format: Publication
• Language: English
• Published: 01.04.2008
• Subjects: BENTHONIC ZONES; CORRELATION; CRUSTACEA; DREDGED MATERIALS; ESTUARIES; EVACUATION; GAGES; GUIDANCE; HARBORS; INVERTEBRATES; LABORATORY TESTS; LETHALITY; LIFE CYCLES; LOW POWER; MAMMALS; MATERIALS; PHYSICAL AND DYNAMIC OCEANOGRAPHY; POLYCHAETA; POWER; SEA TESTING; SEDIMENTS; SENSITIVITY; SOLID WASTES POLLUTION AND CONTROL; STATISTICS; TEST AND EVALUATION; TEST FACILITIES; TEST METHODS; TOXICITY

The original document contains color images. Prepared in collaboration with Specpro, Inc., Vicksburg, MS, Marine Sciences Laboratory, Sequim, WA and Aqua Survey, INC, Flemington, NJ. This report and research were supported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2. The work was conducted to provide insight into the potential advantages and disadvantages of using chrome semi toxicity tests with relevant benthic micro invertebrates as part of dredged material evaluations, as described in the Inland and Ocean Testing Mammals (USEPA/USACE 1991, 1998). Nine sediments collected from the New York Harbor (NYM) were needed to assess the( methods in a preliminary evacuation at one test facility and an inter Laboratory evaluation at three test facilities. The two test methods (10-day Ampelisca abdita and Aniericamysis bahia) current used in evaluations of NYM material were compared to avail chronic protocols to gauge relative performance of the toxicity tests. Acute tests are typically short term (e.g., 10-day) lethality assessments conducted over a small portion of the test organism's life cycle, while chronic tests are longer term and assess sublethal measurements endpoints (e.g., growth and reproduction) in addition to lethality. The available chronic test methods used in this study the 28-day test using the estuarine amphipod, Leptocheinis plumulosus, and 20-day and 28-day tests using the marine polychaeta Neanthes aenaceodentata. Use ofchonic tests is recommended or required by dredged material evaluation guidance and regulations, reespectively. The sublethal endpoints measured in chronic test may be more sensitive measures of toxicity and more predictive of longer term population effects. Of the tests compared, the currently used acute (1 f)-day) Ampe1isca abdita test and the available chronic (28-day) L. plumulosus test were the most responsive (i.e., sensitive) to the tested NYM sediments. Response is defined as the amount an endpoint (e.g., survival) was reduced for test organisms in site sediments relative to that same endpoint in the control sediment.