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DEVELOPMENT AND AVAILABILITY OF EQUILIBRIUM PARTITIONING SEDIMENT GUIDELINES (ESGS) FOR NONIONIC ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS, METALS MIXTURES, AND POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON (PAH) MIXTURES
Citation:
Bell, H. E., M. C. Reiley, F. J. Keating, C. A. Roberts, W J. Berry, D. R. Mount, D J. Hansen, D. M. DiToro, AND R C. Swartz. DEVELOPMENT AND AVAILABILITY OF EQUILIBRIUM PARTITIONING SEDIMENT GUIDELINES (ESGS) FOR NONIONIC ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS, METALS MIXTURES, AND POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON (PAH) MIXTURES. Presented at SETAC 20th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, November 14-18, 1999.
Description:
Collaborative efforts between EPA's Office of Water and Office of Research and Development have resulted in the development of sediment guidelines based on equilibrium partitioning theory (EqP). The guidance available includes a technical support document, describing the derivation of equilibrium partitioning sediment guidelines (ESGs) for the protection of benthic organisms, as well as ESGs for two pesticides (Dieldrin and Endrin), metals mixtures (cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, silver, and zinc) and PAH Mixtures. The Agency also has produced sediment quality advisory levels (SQals) for 34 nonionics which are based on EqP but use a smaller aquatic toxicity data base. ESGs for the two pesticides and nonionics utilize EqP to predict the organic carbon-normalized chemical concentration which is not expected to cause adverse effects to benthic organisms. The Metals Mextures ESG uses measurements of simultaneously extracted metals (SEM), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and fraction organic carbon (foc) to predict the toxicity of these six metals in sediment. The PAH Mixtures ESG is based on a combination of EqP, quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR), narcosis theory, and concentration response models to quantify the concentration (i.e., toxic unit) of individual PAH chemicals which contribute to the toxicity of the mixture. The Agency anticipates producing a revised draft of the PAH mixtures ESG in August 1999 and releasing the other ESGs as final in December 1999. A proposed implementation guidance document (i.e., User's Guide) should be available for public comment when the ESGs are released.