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REGULATORY APPLICATIONS OF POREWATER TOXICITY TESTING
Citation:
Scroggins, R., W J. Berry, R. A. Hoke, K. Milligan, D. J. Morrisey, AND L. Porebski. REGULATORY APPLICATIONS OF POREWATER TOXICITY TESTING. Chapter 12, RS Carr, M Nipper (ed.), Porewater Toxicity Testing: Bioloigcal, Chemical, and Ecological Considerations. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL, , 263-283, (2003).
Description:
The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the use of porewater toxicity tests in regulatory applications, including their potential use in the development of sediment quality guideline (SQG) values. Specifically, the following discussion focuses on the appropriateness and readiness of porewater tests for use in regulatory applications as well as on important factors that must be considered before a porewater toxicity test is used in these applications.
In the regulatory arena, decisions are often based as much on legal and programmatic considerations as on scientific considerations. It is not our purpose here to recommend how specific tests can be used in particular programs. However, it may be useful to regulators to consider the scientific criteria required for the selection of, and potential uses for, porewater toxicity tests in regulatory situations. It may also be useful for scientists to consider some of the unique regulatory requirements associated with use of these tests. Regulatory use of these tests often does not allow for professional judgment in the interpretation of the results. This is because standards for tests acceptability and "pass or fail" criteria must be established a priori, to guarantee fair and consistent application of a guideline, standard, or regulation.
We cannot stress enough the fact that the choice of a test must be driven by the regulatory context in which the results are to be used or by the question that is being asked. This admonition also applies to choice of an appropriate sampling design, reference sediment, and test endpoints. Factors to consider include whether dietary uptake is important, whether the test will be used as a stand-alone test or as part of a screening tier, and whether particular porewater constituents are considered confounding factors or contaminants of concern.