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MARINE SEDIMENT TOXICITY IDNETIFICATION EVALUATION METHODS FOR THE ANIONIC METALS ARSENIC AND CHROMIUM
Citation:
BURGESS, R. M., M. PERRON, M. G. CANTWELL, K. T. HO, M. C. PELLETIER, J. R. SERBST, AND S. A. RYBA. MARINE SEDIMENT TOXICITY IDNETIFICATION EVALUATION METHODS FOR THE ANIONIC METALS ARSENIC AND CHROMIUM. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, FL, 26(1):61-67, (2007).
Impact/Purpose:
To describe two new anion exchange resins used in the development of whole sediment TIE methods for arsenic and chromium
Description:
Marine sediments accumulate a diversity of contaminants and, in some cases, demonstrate toxicity because of this contamination. Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) methods provide tools for identifying the toxic chemicals causing sediment toxicity. Currently, whole sediment TIE methods are not available for anionic metals like arsenic and chromium. In this paper, we describe two new anion exchange resins used in the development of whole sediment TIE methods for arsenic and chromium. Resins were shown to reduce whole sediment toxicity and overlying water concentrations of the anionic metals. Sediment toxicity, expressed as the lethal median concentration (LC50), was reduced by a factor of two to nearly a factor of six between treatments containing resin and those without resin. Aqueous concentrations of arsenic and chromium in the toxicity exposures decreased to below detection limits or to concentrations much lower than measured in treatments without resin. Interference studies indicated the anion exchange resins had no significant effect on concentrations of the representative pesticide endosulfan and minimal effects on ammonia concentrations. However, the anion exchange resins did significantly reduce the concentrations of a selection of cationic metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn). These data demonstrate the utility of anion exchange resins for determining the contribution of arsenic and chromium to whole sediment toxicity. The results also indicate the importance of using TIE methods in a formal TIE structure to insure results are not misinterpreted. These methods should be useful in the performance of marine whole sediment TIEs.