Mean Effects Range-median Quotient Research Articles

Long-term monitoring of metal pollution in sediments from the estuary of the Nerbioi-Ibaizabal River (2005–2010)

This work aims to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of trace metals in sediment samples taken from the Nerbioi-Ibaizabal River estuary (Bilbao, Basque Country) over the course of a long-term surveillance monitoring programme from 2005 to 2010. Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) and the geoaccumulation indexes (Igeo) were used to assess the environmental risk posed by metal content in the estuary sediment.Sediment was collected at eight different sites in the estuary every three months over the period of investigation. A total of 14 elements (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, V and Zn) were selected and the concentration of each was measured in all samples. Additionally, conductivity, pH and the concentration of carbonate, total organic carbon and fulvic and humic acids were also measured in those samples collected in sampling campaigns from March 2006 to October 2008.The concentration of most of the metals systematically decreased over the period of investigation. There are still some points of the estuary (those located in the surroundings of the Gobela and Galindo tributaries), however, where concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn are significantly higher than the background values estimated for the area. According to the mean Effects Range Median quotients (mERMqs) calculated for these sites, sediments may still pose a toxicological threat to living organisms. Metal content in inner estuary sediment is low.Specific point sources of metals to the estuary, together with background contamination of diffuse origin, are probably responsible for this situation.

Classification of sediments by means of Self-Organizing Maps and sediment quality guidelines in sites of the southern Spanish coastline

This study was carried out to classify 112 marine and estuarine sites of the southern Spanish coastline (about 918 km long) according to similar sediment characteristics by means of artificial neural networks (ANNs) such as Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) and sediment quality guidelines from a dataset consisted of 16 physical and chemical parameters including sediment granulometry, trace and major elements, total N and P and organic carbon content. The use of ANNs such as SOM made possible the classification of the sampling sites according to their similar chemical characteristics. Visual correlations between geochemical parameters were extracted due to the powerful visual characteristics (component planes) of the SOM revealing that ANNs are an excellent tool to be incorporated in sediment quality assessments. Besides, almost 20% of the sites were classified as medium-high or high priority sites in order to take future remediation actions due to their high mean Effects Range-Median Quotient (m-ERMQ) value. Priority sites included the estuaries of the major rivers (Tinto, Odiel, Palmones, etc.) and several locations along the eastern coastline.

Heavy metal pollution status in surface sediments of Swan Lake lagoon and Rongcheng Bay in the northern Yellow Sea

The national ‘Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone Development Plan’ compels the further understanding of the distribution and potential risk of metals pollution in the east coast of China, where the rapid economic and urban development have been taken off and metal pollution has become a noticeable problem. Surface sediments collected from the largest swan habitat in Asia, the Swan Lake lagoon and the surrounding coastal area in Rongcheng Bay in northern Yellow Sea, were analyzed for the total metal concentrations and chemical phase partitioning of five heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cr). Metal contents in the studied region have increased significantly in the past decade. The speciation analyzed by the sequential extraction showed that Zn and Cr were present dominantly in the residual fraction and thus of low bioavailability, while Cd, Pb and Cu were found mostly in the non-residual fraction thus of high potential availability, indicating significant anthropogenic sources. Among the five metals, Cd is the most outstanding pollutant and presents high risk, and half of the surface sediments in the studied region had a 21% probability of toxicity based on the mean Effect Range-Median Quotient. At some stations with comparable total metal contents, remarkably different non-residual fraction portions were determined, pointing out that site-specific risk assessment integrating speciation is crucial for better management practices of coastal sediments.

Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia

Tourism-related activities such as the heavy use of boats for transportation are a significant source of petroleum hydrocarbons that may harm the ecosystem of Langkawi Island. The contamination and toxicity levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in the sediments of Langkawi were evaluated using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and toxic equivalent factors. Ten samples were collected from jetties and fish farms around the island in December 2010. A gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) was used to analyse the 18 PAHs. The concentration of total PAHs was found to range from 869 ± 00 to 1637 ± 20 ng g−1 with a mean concentration of 1167.00 ± 24 ng g−1, lower than the SQG effects range-low (3442 ng g−1). The results indicated that PAHs may not cause acute biological damage. Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis suggested that the PAHs were likely to originate from pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. The toxic equivalent concentrations of the PAHs ranged from 76.3 to 177 ng TEQ/g d.w., which is lower compared to similar studies. The results of mean effects range-median quotient of the PAHs were lower than 0.1, which indicate an 11% probability of toxicity effect. Hence, the sampling sites were determined to be the low-priority sites.

Heavy metal pollution status in surface sediments of the coastal Bohai Bay

Bohai Bay, the second largest bay of Bohai Sea, largely due to the huge amount of pollutants discharged into it annually and its geohydrologic condition, is considered to be one of the most polluted marine areas in China. To slow down, halt and finally reverse the environmental deterioration of Bohai Sea, some researchers have proposed to connect it with Jiaozhou Bay in the western coast of Southern Yellow Sea by digging an interbasin canal through Shandong Peninsula. In order to assess the heavy metal pollution and provide background information for such a large geoengineering scheme, surface sediments from 42 stations covering both riverine and marine regions of the northwestern coast of Bohai Bay were analyzed for heavy metal content and fractionation (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn). Three empirically derived sediment quality guidelines were used to assess the pollution extent of these metals. The studied metals had low mobility except for Cd at all stations and Zn at some riverine stations. Although a high mobility of Cd was observed, it could hardly cause a bad effect on the environment owing to its low total concentrations. Anthropogenic influence on the accumulation of studied heavy metals in sediments of Bohai Bay was obvious, but their contents were relatively lower to date comparing with some other marine coastal areas that receive important anthropogenic inputs. Taking as a whole, surface sediments of northwestern Bohai Bay had a 21% probability of toxicity based on the mean effects range-median quotient.

Effects of chemically spiked sediments on estuarine benthic communities: a controlled mesocosm study

Ambient sediments were collected from a reference site in the North Edisto River, SC and transferred to a laboratory facility to investigate effects of chemical contaminants on estuarine infaunal communities under controlled mesocosm conditions. Sediment contaminant slurries were prepared using dried sediments collected from the reference site and spiked with a metal (copper), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (pyrene), and a pesticide (4,4(')-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) to yield nominal mean effects range-median (ERM) quotients of <0.01 (no addition), 0.1, and 1.0 and applied to control, low dose (TRT A), and high dose (TRT B) treatment groups, respectively. Sediment samples for contaminant and benthic analyses were collected at the start of the experiment, 1 month after dosing, and 3 months after dosing. Near-nominal mean ERM quotients of 0.001, 0.075, and 0.818 were measured initially after dosing and remained fairly constant throughout the experiment. Measures of benthic condition, diversity, and richness were significantly reduced in both treatment groups relative to the control 1 month after dosing and persisted in TRT B at 3 months. The results demonstrate that benthic community effects can be observed at mean ERM quotients that are about an order of magnitude lower than levels that have been shown to be associated with significant toxicity in acute laboratory bioassays with single species (e.g., amphipods) in other studies.

Comparative sediment quality guideline performance for predicting sediment toxicity in Southern California, USA

Several types of sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) are used by multiple agencies in southern California (USA) to interpret sediment chemistry data, yet little information is available to identify the best approaches to use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive ability of five SQGs to predict the presence and absence of sediment toxicity in coastal southern California: the effects range-median quotient (ERMq), consensus moderate effect concentration (consensus MEC), mean sediment quality guideline quotient (SQGQ1), apparent effects threshold (AET), and equilibrium partitioning (EqP) for organics. Large differences in predictive ability among the SQGs were obtained when each approach was applied to the same southern California data set. Sediment quality guidelines that performed well in identifying nontoxic samples were not necessarily the best predictors of toxicity. In general, the mean ERMq, SQGQ1q, and consensus MECq approaches had a better overall predictive ability than the AET and EqP for organics approaches. In addition to evaluating the predictive ability of SQGs addressing chemical mixtures, the effect of an individual SQG value (DDT) was also evaluated for the mean ERMq with and without DDT. The mean ERMq without DDT had a better ability to predict toxic samples than the mean ERMq with DDT. Similarities in discriminatory ability between different approaches, variations in accuracy among SQG values for some chemicals, and the presence of complex mixtures of contaminants in most samples underscore the need to apply SQGs in combination, such as the mean quotient. Management objectives and SQG predictive ability using regional data should be determined beforehand so that the most appropriate SQG approach and critical values can be identified for specific applications.

Sensitivity of an indigenous amphipod (Corophium colo) to chemical contaminants in laboratory toxicity tests conducted with sediments from Sydney Harbor, Australia, and vicinity

Laboratory survival tests were conducted with an indigenous infaunal amphipod, Corophium colo, on 103 sediment samples from Sydney Harbor (NSW, Australia) and vicinity, containing a wide range of chemicals and concentrations. The present study describes the sensitivity of C. colo to the sediments and compares the results to data for North American amphipods (Rhepoxynius abronius and Ampelisca abdita) previously used to establish and validate sediment-quality guidelines (SQGs). The incidence of toxicity increased with increasing contamination, as indicated by increasing numbers of SQGs exceeded and increasing mean SQG quotients. The incidence of highly toxic results (p < 0.05 and mean amphipod survival of < 80% that of controls) for highly contaminated samples was approximately half (28-40%) that of a large U.S. database (74%). The incidence of highly toxic responses for samples with intermediate levels of contamination also was lower in the present study (5-13%) compared to the results in large U.S. studies (approximately 30-50%). Corophium colo reburial tests showed greater sensitivity compared to survival tests, with a maximum incidence of statistically significant responses in moderately contaminated sediments of 70%. The present study showed that adult Corophium organisms are suitable for testing lethal responses in highly contaminated sediments (i.e., with mean effects range-median quotients of >1.5). Reburial results provide additional sensitivity.

Journal Scan

This work aims to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of trace metals in sediment samples taken from the Nerbioi-Ibaizabal River estuary (Bilbao, Basque Country) over the course of a long-term surveillance monitoring programme from 2005 to 2010. Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) and the geoaccumulation indexes (Igeo) were used to assess the environmental risk posed by metal content in the estuary sediment.Sediment was collected at eight different sites in the estuary every three months over the period of investigation. A total of 14 elements (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, V and Zn) were selected and the concentration of each was measured in all samples. Additionally, conductivity, pH and the concentration of carbonate, total organic carbon and fulvic and humic acids were also measured in those samples collected in sampling campaigns from March 2006 to October 2008.The concentration of most of the metals systematically decreased over the period of investigation. There are still some points of the estuary (those located in the surroundings of the Gobela and Galindo tributaries), however, where concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn are significantly higher than the background values estimated for the area. According to the mean Effects Range Median quotients (mERMqs) calculated for these sites, sediments may still pose a toxicological threat to living organisms. Metal content in inner estuary sediment is low.Specific point sources of metals to the estuary, together with background contamination of diffuse origin, are probably responsible for this situation.

Predicting stress in benthic communities of southeastern U.S. estuaries in relation to chemical contamination of sediments

AbstractMatching data on sediment contaminants and macroinfaunal community structure from 231 subtidal stations in southeastern U.S. estuaries were used to develop a framework for evaluating risks of benthic impacts from multiple‐contaminant exposure. Sediment contamination was expressed as the mean ratio of individual contaminant concentrations relative to corresponding sediment quality guidelines, that is, to effects range‐median (ERM) values, probable effects level (PEL) values, or an aggregate of the two. The probability of a degraded benthos was relatively low in samples with mean ERM quotients ≤0.020, PEL quotients ≤0.035, or combined ERM/PEL quotients ≤0.024. Only 5% of stations within these ranges had degraded benthic assemblages, while 95% had healthy assemblages. A higher probability of benthic impacts was observed in samples with mean ERM quotients &gt;0.058, PEL quotients &gt;0.096, or ERM/PEL quotients &gt;0.077. Seventy‐three to 78% of stations with values in these upper ranges had degraded benthic assemblages, while 22 to 27% had healthy assemblages. Only four stations (three with degraded, one with healthy assemblages) had mean ERM or PEL quotients &gt;1.0, which is the beginning of the range associated with a high probability of mortality in short‐term laboratory toxicity tests using amphipods.

Relationships between sediment contamination and toxicity in San Francisco Bay

Sediment contamination and toxicity were monitored at 14 sites in San Francisco Bay between 1991 and 1996. Sediment contamination patterns were different in the major reaches of the Bay, and at each site. Several contaminants were consistently above concentrations previously associated with toxicity at most sites. Bulk sediment bioassays using the amphipod Eohaustorius estuarius and sediment elutriate bioassays using larval bivalves ( Mytilus spp., Crassostrea gigas) also indicated different patterns of sediment toxicity in space and time. Sediments were most toxic to the amphipods at Redwood Creek (90% of the tests), and were toxic in at least half the tests conducted at five other sites. Sediment elutriates severely reduced normal bivalve larval development at the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers in all samples, but toxicity occurred in less than a third of the tests in the Central and South Bays. Toxicity could not be statistically related to seasonal freshwater flow or rainfall in the Bay, but seasonal variation in contaminant concentrations and toxicity was observed. Amphipod toxicity was inversely and significantly related to the mean effects range-median quotient, suggesting that cumulative concentrations of several contaminants were related to toxicity. Further analysis identified suites of specific contaminants at each site that were variably related to amphipod toxicity at each site. Chlordanes, cadmium, and silver were significantly related to amphipod survival in the North Bay. Seasonal patterns in low, and high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were related to toxicity at Alameda, and metals and PAHs were related to toxicity at Castro Cove. Larval bivalve toxicity was associated with metals in bulk sediments, but elutriate chemistry was not measured, and relationships with toxicity could not be examined. Hypotheses about effective concentrations of several individual contaminants and mixtures of contaminants were posed.