Grantee Research Project Results
2001 Progress Report: Validation of Sediment Quality Criteria in Southeastern Estuaries
EPA Grant Number: R826201Title: Validation of Sediment Quality Criteria in Southeastern Estuaries
Investigators: Ringwood, Amy Huffman
Institution: South Carolinia Department of Natural Resources , Marine Resources Research Institute
Current Institution: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources , Marine Resources Research Institute
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: December 1, 1997 through November 30, 2000 (Extended to November 30, 2001)
Project Period Covered by this Report: December 1, 2000 through November 30, 2001
Project Amount: $449,794
RFA: Contaminated Sediments (1997) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Land and Waste Management
Objective:
The overall purpose of this research project is to evaluate the relationships between sediment/porewater parameters and biological responses (benthic community integrity, toxicity and bioaccumulation studies with infaunal and epifaunal bivalves) for metal contaminated sediments. The data will be used to evaluate the value of current bioavailability models to predict bioavailability and toxicity of metals to bivalve molluscs, and effects on benthic community integrity. Winter and summer studies are being conducted to assess the potential significance of seasonal differences.Progress Summary:
During this period, we have been involved in completing all sample analyses, conducting quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) evaluations of the data, and generating the final data sets. This has included metal analyses in tissues and sediments, as well as analysis of the concentrations of common PAH analytes in sediments.During Year 4 (the grant was extended by 1 year with a no-cost extension), we have been involved in completing all sample analyses, conducting QA/QC evaluations of the data, and generating the final data sets. One of the primary reasons for the delay was due to equipment and accessibility problems for the AAS analyses. A new Perkin Elmer AAS was purchased by SCDNR to facilitate the successful completion of this project. The new AAS arrived in April 2001, and sample analyses were resumed shortly thereafter. We now have a significant 3-year database for critically evaluating the effects of environmental parameters on bivalve physiology and bioaccumulation of metals. Currently, we are involved in conducting statistical analyses of the data and evaluating the various bioaccumulation models.
As we complete the final data evaluations, we also are developing a number of manuscripts. Examples of some of the results regarding Cu concentrations in oyster tissues are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Data over all 3 years are shown, and are partitioned into "Reference Sites" (Figure 1, sites with relatively low metal concentrations) and "Degraded Sites" (Figure 2, sites with high metal concentrations). For the reference sites (Figure 1), there were no significant differences between Cu concentrations in oyster tissues between the winter and summer seasons (paired t test, p > 0.10). However, for the degraded sites (Figure 2), there was a general tendency for Cu concentrations to be higher during the summer than the winter (paired t test, p= 0.05). This is in contrast to the predictions based on the AVS model because AVS levels are frequently higher in the summer (i.e., higher AVS levels would be expected to result in lower bioaccumulation). Furthermore, these data suggest that a range of "normal" or typical Cu tissue concentrations in oysters from southeastern reference sites is less than 100 - 120 g/g. These types of data can provide important guidance on establishing "normal ranges" of tissue metal concentrations in estuarine bivalves.
Future Activities:
Our primary activities during the next year will be finalizing the data files, analyzing the data, and generating manuscripts. The final report will be submitted by February 28, 2002. Amy Ringwood has recently received invitations to participate in the following two workshops planned for 2002, at which she will use these results as the basis for some of her contributions:? Pellston Workshop (sponsored by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) regarding sediment quality criteria (tentatively scheduled for August 2002).
? ASTM Workshop regarding the use of deployed bivalves (scheduled for April 2002).
She currently is being considered for a third workshop sponsored by EPA.
Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 20 publications | 5 publications in selected types | All 4 journal articles |
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Keppler CJ, Ringwood AH. Effects of metal exposures on juvenile clams, Mercenaria mercenaria. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2002;68(1):43-48. |
R826201 (2001) R826201 (Final) |
not available |
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Ringwood AH, Keppler CJ. Comparative in situ and laboratory sediment bioassays with juvenile Mercenaria mercenaria. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2002;21(8):1651-1657. |
R826201 (2001) R826201 (Final) |
not available |
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Ringwood AH, Keppler CJ. Water quality variation and clam growth: Is pH really a non-issue in estuaries? Estuaries 2002;25(5):901-907. |
R826201 (2001) R826201 (Final) |
not available |
Supplemental Keywords:
marine, estuary, ecological effects, environmental chemistry, southeast, Atlantic coast, South Carolina (SC), EPA Region IV., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Geographic Area, Waste, Water, Ecological Indicators, Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecosystem Protection, Environmental Chemistry, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Contaminated Sediments, Southeast, Geochemistry, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecology and Ecosystems, bioavailability, sediment quality survey, water quality, contaminated sediment, marine ecosytems, metal contamination, sediment quality criteria, benthic biota, estuaries, risk assessment, Ammonia, sediment porewater parameters, validation of models, ecological exposure, ecology assessment models, sediment, validation, pysicochemical parametersProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.