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Modeling Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors in fish for AOC habitat restoration projects
Citation:
Hollenhorst, T., J. Hoffman, AND L. Burkhard. Modeling Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors in fish for AOC habitat restoration projects. IAGLR, Toronto, ON, CANADA, June 18 - 22, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
Although the St. Louis River contaminated sediments database does have Dioxin Toxic Equivalent Factors for the sediments, these do not represent the Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors (BSAF) for fish. This is needed to estimate the current fish consumption risk in the project area and the fish consumption risk for the area after remediation and restoration (which hopefully will improve). With this approach we are able to incorporate Toxic Equaivalent Factors for 30 different Dioxin and Dioxin-like PCB compounds, along with the amount of total organic carbon from each sample to calculate Toxic Equivalent Factors for fish exposed to the sediments in the project area. This was then input into a fish habitat/occupancy model to ass the possible health impacts of the planned restoration via potential changes in consumption advisories within the restoration project area. This then contributed to a larger more comprehensive health Impact assessment for the restoration project area as part of the SHC 2.61 research efforts.
Description:
We compiled contaminated sediment data for Dioxins and Dioxin Like PCBs for the St. Louis River Area of Concern as part of a health impact assessment for the proposed Kingsbury Bay Grassy Point Habitat Restoration project. To incorporate potential Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors for fish we identified 30 Dioxin and Dioxin-like PCB compounds that were measured from samples gathered throughout the St. Louis River AOC. Toxic Equivalent Factors (TEFs) and Mean Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors (BSAF) were identified for each compound and combined with Total Organic Carbon (TOC) from each sample to calculate Dioxin Toxic Equivalent Factors (TEQ) for fish. This was then input into a fish habitat/occupancy model to assess the possible health impacts of the planned restoration via potential changes in consumption advisories within the restoration project area.