Issue 29 - August 2002
Welcome to the Contaminated
Sediments News, a monthly review of recent journal articles,
issues in the press, upcoming conferences, and other news. This
website will replace the Contaminated Sediments Newsletter, which
was published quarterly through the summer of 2000. Items for the
CS News are chosen from the results of a detailed search of a number
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Note: The summaries found on this website are based
on articles from the press and from peer-reviewed publications,
and they represent the opinions of the original authors. The views
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States Government.
Current News
Recent Journal Articles of Interest
- Toxicity assessment of
sediments from the Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor
canal - This study evaluated the toxicity of sediments
from the Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor Canal (northwestern
Indiana). Thirty sampling stations were selected in locations
that had limited historic matching toxicity and chemistry
data. Toxic effects on amphipod survival were observed in
60% of the samples. Results of a toxicity test with oligochaetes
indicated that sediments from the assessment area were too
toxic to be used in proposed bioaccumulation testing. Samples
that were toxic tended to have the highest concentrations
of metals, PAHs, and PCBs. The toxic samples often had an
excess of simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) relative to
acid volatile sulfide (AVS) and had multiple exceedances of
probable effect concentrations (PECs). A mean PEC quotient
of 3.4 (based on concentrations of metals, PAHs, and PCBs)
was exceeded in 33% of the sediment samples and a mean quotient
of 0.63 was exceeded in 70% of the samples. The authors conclude
that the results of this study and others show that sediments
from this area are among the most contaminated and toxic ever
reported.
Source: Ingersoll CG, MacDonald DD, Brumbaugh WG, Johnson
BT, Kemble NE, Kunz JL, May TW, Wang N, Smith JR, Sparks
DW, Ireland DS. 2002. Toxicity assessment of sediments
from the Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor canal in
northwestern Indiana, USAArch Environ Contam Toxicol;43(2):156-67.
- Toxicity of sediments following
the Exxon Valdez oil spill - After the 1989 Exxon
Valdez oil spill, a one-year study found that spill residues
on the oiled shorelines rapidly lost toxicity through weathering.
After 1990, toxicity of sediments remained at only a few heavily
oiled locations in Prince William Sound. This paper describes
the results of an analysis of data from 648 sediment samples
taken during the 1990 to 1993 period. The analysis was undertaken
to determine the relationship between the total concentration
of 39 parent and methyl-substituted TPAHs and amphipod mortality
and the effect of oil weathering on toxicity. A logistic regression
model gave estimates of the lower threshold, LC10 (lethal
concentration to 10% of the population), and LC50 (median
lethal concentration) values of 2,600, 4,100, and 10,750 ng/g
TPAH (dry wt), respectively. Estimates of the threshold and
LC50 values here relate well to corresponding sediment quality
guideline (SQG) values reported in the literature. By 1999,
the median sediment TPAH concentration of 117 ng/g for the
post-1989 worst-case sites studied were well below the 2,600
ng/g toxicity threshold value, confirming the lack of potential
for long-term toxic effects. Researchers also found that species
richness and Shannon diversity decreased with increasing TPAH
above the 2,600 ng/g threshold.
Source: Page DS, Boehm PD, Stubblefield WA, Parker KR,
Gilfillan ES, Neff JM, Maki AW. 2002. Hydrocarbon composition
and toxicity of sediments following the Exxon Valdez oil
spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA. Environ
Toxicol Chem;21(7):1438-50.
- Detection of estrogenic
activity in sediment-associated compounds - Researchers
measured sediment-associated estrogenic potency with an estrogen
receptor-mediated luciferase reporter gene (ER-CALUX) assay
and compared their results with those from a recombinant yeast
screen method. The ER-CALUX assay was found to be more sensitive
to 17 beta-estradiol (E2) than the recombinant yeast screen.
Sediments from industrialized areas such as the Port of Rotterdam
showed the highest estrogenic potency of the 12 marine sediments
tested (up to 40 pmol estradiol equivalents per gram of sediment).
The estrogenic activity of other individual chemicals that
can be found in sediments was also tested. These results showed
that increasing sidechain length of various nonylphenol ethoxylates
resulted in decreased estrogenic activity. As metabolic activation
may be required to induce estrogenic activity, a metabolic
transformation step was added to the ER-CALUX assay using
incubation of compounds with liver microsomes obtained from
PCB-treated rats. The authors report that metabolites of E2,
NP and bisphenol A were less active than their parent compounds,
while metabolites of methoxychlor were more estrogenic following
metabolic transformation.
Source: Legler J, Dennekamp M, Vethaak AD, Brouwer A, Koeman
JH, van der Burg B, Murk AJ. 2002. Detection of estrogenic
activity in sediment-associated compounds using in vitro
reporter gene assays. Sci Total Environ;293(1-3):69-83.
- Cytochrome P4501A in killifish:
heritability of altered expression - This study
was conducted to test the cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) protein
expression of first, second, and third generation laboratory-raised
offspring of Elizabeth River killifish in response to exposure
to sediments from a contaminated site as well as to PAH-type
CYP1A inducers. The Elizabeth River offspring's responses
were compared to those of offspring of killifish from two
reference sites. As with wild Elizabeth River killifish, the
first generation embryos and larvae were refractory to CYP1A
induction. However, the response observed in 3-year-old first
generation adults, as well as with second and third generation
fish, was much closer to that observed in reference-site fish.
The authors suggest that the pattern of altered CYP1A response
in Elizabeth River killifish, while persistent and heritable
for one generation, is mostly nongenetically based.
Source: Meyer JN, Nacci DE, Di Giulio RT. 2002. Cytochrome
P4501A (CYP1A) in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus): heritability
of altered expression and relationship to survival in contaminated
sediments.Toxicol Sci 2002 Jul;68(1):69-81.
- Field validation of two
sediment-amphipod toxicity tests - The authors
conducted a field validation study of two sediment-amphipod
toxicity tests using sediment samples collected near a PAH-contaminated
Superfund site in Elliott Bay, Washington. Sediment samples
were collected at 30 stations and standard 10-d sediment-amphipod
toxicity tests were conducted with Rhepoxynius abronius
and Leptocheiros plumulosus. Total PAHs were found
to be an important common causal agent of the changes in the
two toxicity tests and five macrofaunal community endpoints.
Field validations were conducted by statistically analyzing
the association between or among each toxicity test endpoint,
each of seven macrofaunal community metrics, and Total PAHs.
As a result of these analyses both toxicity test endpoints
were validated as indicators of macrofaunal community changes.
The resolution power of the relationships between the laboratory
toxicity test and macrofaunal field endpoints was low, but
sufficient to discriminate ecologically important effects.
The authors conclude that standard sediment-amphipod toxicity
tests are ecologically relevant and that their results can
be used for lab-to-field extrapolation.
Source: Ferraro, S. P. and F. A. Cole. 2002. A field
validation of two sediment-amphipod toxicity tests.
Environ Toxicol Chem; 21(7):1423-37.
- Ambient water column and
sediment toxicity tests in the Chesapeake Bay -
The authors summarized ten years of sediment toxicity testing
in Chesapeake Bay, with the goal of identifying the relative
toxicity of ambient areas. Inorganic and organic contaminants
were evaluated in ambient water and sediment concurrently
with water column and sediment tests to assess possible causes
of toxicity. Water column tests from the 10-year testing period
showed that 49% of the time, some degree of toxicity was reported.
Some degree of sediment toxicity was reported from 62% of
the tests conducted during the 10-year period. The Elizabeth
River and Baltimore Harbor stations were reported as the most
toxic areas based on sediment results. Sediment toxicity guidelines
were exceeded for one or more of the following metals at these
two locations: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel
and zinc. At the Elizabeth River stations, nine of sixteen
semi-volatile organics and two of seven pesticides measured
exceeded the ER-M values in 1990. Ambient sediment toxicity
tests in the Elizabeth River in 1996 showed reduced toxicity.
Various semi-volatile organics exceeded the ER-M values at
a number of Baltimore Harbor sites; pyrene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene
were particularly high at one of the stations (Northwest Harbor).
A comparison of water column and sediment toxicity data for
the various stations over the 10-year study showed that approximately
half the time agreement occurred.
Source: Hall LW Jr, Anderson RD, Alden RW 3rd. 2002. A
ten year summary of concurrent ambient water column and
sediment toxicity tests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed:
1990-1999. .Environ Monit Assess;76(3):311-52.
- Emissions and sediment
loads in an urban area - The sediment deposition
of Cd and Pb in the waters around Stockholm was investigated
to examine how fluxes in the aquatic environment reflect the
reduced use of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in the area between
1975 and 1995. The researchers used laminated sediment cores
to reconstruct historical annual metal deposition to the sediments.
The resulting reconstructions were compared to independent
estimations of the emissions to the aquatic environment during
the phase-out period. The loads of Cd and Pb from sewage treatment
plants, storm water and atmospheric deposition were studied
using literature data. The reduction in Pb and Cd is not as
pronounced in the sediment as in the calculated emissions
for the same time period, indicating that emissions may be
delayed on their way to the sediments or that there are other
sources such as the resuspension of older sediments. The authors
conclude that sediment investigations are an essential component
in environmental monitoring in order to get a complete picture
of the metal fluxes to and in the environment in urban areas.
Source: Jonsson A, Lindstrom M, Bergback B. 2002. Phasing
out cadmium and lead--emissions and sediment loads in an
urban area. Sci Total Environ; 292(1-2):91-100.
- Evaluation of numerical
sediment quality targets for St. Louis River -
This study evaluated the predictive ability of the numerical
sediment quality targets (SQTs) for the St. Louis River Area
of Concern (AOC) by using the matching sediment chemistry
and toxicity data set for the area. This evaluation involved
determination of the incidence of toxicity to amphipods and
midges within five ranges of Level II SQT quotients (i.e.,
mean probable effect concentration quotients [PEC-Qs]). The
incidence of toxicity was determined based on the results
of 10-day toxicity tests with amphipods and midges. For both
tests, the incidence of toxicity increased as the mean PEC-Q
ranges increased. The incidence of toxicity was also compared
to similar regions, and the authors found that the predictive
ability of the mean PEC-Qs was similar across geographic areas.
The authors conclude that these results indicate the mean
PEC-Qs provide a reliable basis for classifying sediments
as toxic or not toxic in the St. Louis River AOC, in the larger
geographic areas of the Great Lakes, and elsewhere in North
America.
Source: Crane JL, MacDonald DD, Ingersoll CG, Smorong DE,
Lindskoog RA, Severn CG, Berger TA Field LJ. 2002. Evaluation
of numerical sediment quality targets for the St. Louis
river area of concern. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol;
43(1):1-10.
- Ozonation for remediation
of PAH-contaminated sediments - This study used
ozonation as a remediation technique to investigate the treatability
of a PAH-contaminated sediment sample from a freshwater boat
slip subjected to coal tar contamination over a long period.
The sediment was made into 3% w/w soil slurries and ozonated,
and then samples were collected after different ozonation
durations and tested for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD),
chemical oxygen demand (COD), UV absorbance, and toxicity.
Results suggested that ozonation for 2 hours removed 50-100%
of various PAHs in the solid and liquid phases of the sediment
sample and that organic and inorganic constituents of the
sediment were also altered by ozonation. Measurements and
comparisons of BOD, COD, UV absorbance, and toxicity of the
samples further suggested that ozonation improved the bioavailability
and biodegradability of the contaminants, despite the increased
toxicity of the treatment effluent. The authors suggest that
an integrated chemical-biological system appeared to be feasible
for treating recalcitrant compounds.
Source: Zeng, Yu; Hong, PK Andrew. 2002. Slurry-phase
ozonation for remediation of sediments contaminated by polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons. Journal of the Air & Waste Management
Association Vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 58-68. 2002.
- Impact of organochlorine
contamination on amphibian populations - In this
study, five PCB-contaminated wetlands were surveyed for frog
densities relative to four uncontaminated sites. Although
the researchers found that sediments contained PCB concentrations
toxic to some organisms, there was no significant correlation
between frog density or species richness and severity of PCB
contamination. In the laboratory, tadpoles and eggs of Rana
pipiens and Rana utricularia were negatively affected
by PCB concentrations comparable to field levels. Adults and
larvae of these species collected from contaminated field
sites contained tissue PCB levels much lower than that of
the sediments. The authors suggest that the lack of population-level
impact of PCBs in the field may be explained by limited contaminant
accumulation in the frogs themselves.
Source: Glennemeier Karen A; Begnoche Linda J. 2002. Impact
of organochlorine contamination on amphibian populations
in southwestern Michigan. Journal of Herpetology; 36(2),
233-244
- Effects of tributyltin
on structure of estuarine nematode assemblages
- The authors performed a microcosm experiment to evaluate
the effects of different levels of paint-derived tributyltin
(TBT), and different modes of exposure, on the diversity,
feeding mode, and assemblage structure of estuarine nematodes.
Estuarine meiofauna were exposed to two types of treatments
(mixture and deposit) containing uncontaminated sediment and
sediment spiked with paint-derived TBT at 1 and 10 mg/kg for
a duration of 4 and 8 weeks. The numbers of many species differed
greatly between treatments. The survival rates of nematode
species in the top layer of these sediments depended on their
ability to withstand TBT contamination as well as their potential
to migrate, survive and reproduce in the deposit. These results
show that the response of nematode species depends not only
on the level of TBT contamination but also on the duration
and mode of exposure to contaminated sediment.
Source: Schratzberger Michaela; Wall Caroline M; Reynolds
William J; Reed Jacqueline; Waldock Michael J. 2002. Effects
of paint-derived tributyltin on structure of estuarine nematode
assemblages in experimental microcosms. Journal of Experimental
Marine Biology and Ecology; 272(2), 217-235.
- Historical and present
fluxes of mercury to Northeastern lakes - For this
study the researchers quantified mercury fluxes to the sediments
of ten small drainage lakes across Vermont and New Hampshire
from approximately the year 1800 to present. Results showed
that present-day total mercury fluxes are between 2.1 to 6.9
times greater than pre-1850 fluxes. Current-day direct atmospheric
mercury deposition to the study region was estimated at 21
mug m-2 yr-1, which agrees well with measured deposition.
These data also suggest that mercury fluxes to lake sediments
have declined in recent decades, owing to reductions in atmospheric
mercury deposition to the lake surface. Watershed export of
atmospherically deposited mercury remains elevated relative
to present-day deposition rates, which contributes to the
impression that mercury retention by watershed soils has declined.
Source: Kamman Neil C; Engstrom Daniel R. 2002. Historical
and present fluxes of mercury to Vermont and New Hampshire
lakes inferred from 210Pb dated sediment cores. Atmospheric
Environment; 36(10), 1599-1609.
- Molecular assessment of
in situ bioremediation of PCBs from sediments -
Microbial degradation of sediment pollutants is an economically
and environmentally sound alternative to conventional means
of remediation such as dredging. This paper describes the
development of a PCR-based assay to determine the potential
for PCB bioremediation by the resident microbial consortium
in contaminated sediments. Using PCR and RT-PCR of DNA and
RNA, respectively, the bphA1 gene that encodes the large subunit
of biphenyl dioxygenase was amplified from Lake Erie sediment
samples. Since other studies have determined that the BphA1
gene product dictates PCB congener specificity, this assay
may prove to be a useful screen for endemic catabolic activities
for PCB mixtures in aquatic sediments.
Source: Hoostal Matthew J; Bullerjahn George S; McKay R
Michael L. 2002. Molecular assessment of the potential
for in situ bioremediation of PCBs from aquatic sediments.
Hydrobiologia; 469, pp. 59-65.
- Determination of mercury
by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
- This study examines the direct analysis of mercury in sediment
samples from Minamata Bay, Japan using laser ablation inductively
coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Direct analysis
of sediment samples without internal standardization yielded
satisfactory results. Elemental speciation and particle size
within the studied range did not appear to significantly affect
the measurements. With the LA-ICP-MS system, the authors achieved
a sample throughput of 10 per h and a detection limit of 0.02
mg/kg. Analytical results of 14 sediment samples using the
LA-ICP-MS system matched well with those obtained by isotope
dilution cold vapour.
Source: Tao Guanhong; Fujikawa Yoko; Mitsui Mitsuhiko;
Yamada Ryuji. 2002. Determination of mercury in sediment
samples by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass
spectrometry. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry;
17(5), 560-562.
Upcoming Conferences and Events
- International Symposium
on Sediment Quality Assessments - The Fifth International
Symposium on Sediment Quality Assessments will be held October
16-18, 2002 in Chicago, Illinois. This symposium is the
fifth in a series being organized by the Aquatic Ecosystem
Health & Management Society (AEHMS).
The five principal areas for the 2002 conference are:
- Sediment Transport and Contaminant Flux
- Sediments and Watershed Management
- Microbial Pathogens: Are Sediments A Risk?
- Weight of Evidence and Risk-Based Decision Making
- Emerging Technologies for Assessment and Remediation
of Sediments
For further information, see the symposuim website at:
http://www.aehms.org/SQA5_event.html
- Conference on Contaminated Soils,
Sediments & Water - The 18th Annual International
Conference on Contaminated Soils, Sediments & Water will
be held October 21-24, 2002 in Amherst, Massachusetts. The
theme of this year's conference is "Expediting and Economizing
Cleanups," and live equipment demonstrations will augment
the exhibition section. Visit the conference website www.umasssoils.com
for more information.
- Second International
Conference on the Remediation of Contaminated Sediments
- The Second International Sediment Remediation
Conference will be held in the autumn of 2003 in Venice,
Italy. Organizers say the city is an ideal setting for a
conference on this topic because of the sediments remediation
efforts being exerted there by the local, regional, and
national governments. The Call for Abstracts brochure is
expected to be available in July 2002, and abstracts to
be considered for the program will be due in December 2002.
To request a copy of the Call for Abstracts, visit the Sediment
Remediation Conference website.
- Coastal Sediments 2003
- Coastal Sediments '03 is a multi-disciplinary international
conference convened for researchers and practitioners to
discuss science and engineering issues of coastal sediment
processes. The conference will be held May 18-23, 2003 in
Clearwater Beach, Florida. Visit the website for more information:
www.coastalsediments.net
- 2nd International Symposium
on Contaminated Sediments - Subtitled "Characterisation,
Evaluation, Mitigation/Restoration, Management Strategy,
and Performance." Conference to be held May 26-28, 2003
Quebec City, Canada. Visit the website
for more information.
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