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CONTAMINATED MARINE SEDIMENTS: WATER COLUMN AND INTERSTITIAL TOXIC EFFECTS
Citation:
Burgess, R.M., K. Schweitzer, R.A. McKinney, AND D. Phelps. CONTAMINATED MARINE SEDIMENTS: WATER COLUMN AND INTERSTITIAL TOXIC EFFECTS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-93/128 (NTIS PB93181162).
Description:
The toxicity that contaminated sediments may introduce into the water column has not been measured extensively. n order to quantify this potential toxicity, the seawater overlying two uncontaminated and three contaminated marine sediments was evaluated in the laboratory with the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata fertilization test. oncentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBS) and copper, as representative contaminants, were also measured. o characterize sources of toxicity, samples were chemically manipulated using reversed-phase chromatography, cation exchange, and chelation. ater column toxicity and contaminant concentrations were higher in the suspended exposures than in bedded exposures. nterstitial water toxicity and contaminated concentrations were generally greater than either bedded or suspended exposures. hemical manipulation indicated that the observed toxicity in water column exposures was probably caused by metallic and/or nonionic organic contaminants. onversely, manipulation of interstitial waters did not result in significantly reduced toxicity, suggesting that other toxicants such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide may be active.