Toxicity of Cuyahoga River and Nearshore Lake Erie Sediments to Photobacterium phosphoreum

Abstract

The Cuyahoga River Basin and Lake Erie (nearshore of Cleveland) sediments were assayed with Photobacterium phosphoreum during the summer of 1991. Of the 33 sediments tested, 23 exhibited toxicity using either interstitial or extract water. Nearly all (93%) of the “navigation channel” (i.e., the lower 8 km of the river) and nearshore lake samples were toxic. No statistical difference was observed between river sediment interstitial and extract waters. With the limited number of lake samples (seven), more toxicity was observed with extract water than with interstitial water.