Abstract
This study was done to determine toxicity of certified reference sediment to be used for quality assurance in sediment toxicity testing program. Certified Reference Harbor Sediment (HS-4B for PAHs) and Estuarine Sediment (LGC-6137 for Trace Metals) were procured commercially from LGC Company, UK, and repeatedly analyzed against solid phase Microtox toxicity assay to determine EC50 values. Both PAHs rich and trace metals rich sediments were very toxic to Microtox with EC50 405 mg L-1 and 554 mg L-1 respectively. Solvent extraction resulted in a drastic decrease in the toxicity of PAHs rich reference sediment sample but in trace metal rich sediment the decrease in the toxicity was marginal. The certified reference sediments with the availability of toxicity data can be incorporated for quality assurance as controls in Microtox toxicity determination of field samples of unknown toxicity.
Highlights
Eco-toxicological testing of sediments began in the late 1970s, as a consequence of by- products from dredging operations[1]
These biological responses are represented by both sediment toxicity and benthic invertebrate community structure where differences in faunal assemblages in contaminated areas compared to uncontaminated reference locations, indicate a deleterious impact resulting from sediment conditions[2]
In Solid Phase Microtox Test (SPT) assay the bacteria is placed directly in close vicinity of solid particles and its response reflect in totality the action of toxicants along with synergists and antagonists present in a given sample (Kawn and Dutka)[8]
Summary
Eco-toxicological testing of sediments began in the late 1970s, as a consequence of by- products from dredging operations[1]. Developing valid methods for determining the extent and severity of such pollution is central to assessing environmental damage and guiding remediation efforts This is often difficult due to distribution of contaminants among multiple phases varying in bioavailability and speciation effects, since different forms of chemical species in different compartments may vary in toxicity. The underlying philosophy in the approach is that observations of elevated sediment contamination concentrations alone are not conclusive evidence of ecological degradation; it is the biological responses to these contaminants that are of primary concerns These biological responses are represented by both sediment toxicity and benthic invertebrate community structure where differences in faunal assemblages in contaminated areas compared to uncontaminated reference locations, indicate a deleterious impact resulting from sediment conditions[2]
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