Influence of ultraviolet light in the toxicity of sediments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN (United States)
- UWS, Duluth, MN (United States)
- ILS, Duluth, MN (United States)
- SAIC, Duluth, MN (United States)
Standard 10-d toxicity tests were conducted with freshwater benthic invertebrates using sediments containing a range of concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The assays were performed both under normal laboratory fluorescent light and ultraviolet (UV) light which mimicked wavelengths present in sunlight at about 10% of ambient solar intensity. Additionally, field experiments used an in situ apparatus to evaluate the phototoxic response of the aquatic oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus to sediments contaminated with PAHs. Those experiments were conducted using both sunlight exposed and shaded test chambers. In addition to a PAH contaminated site, a reference site lacking in PAHs also was tested as a control. Laboratory tests conducted with PAH contaminated sediments exposed to UV light resulted in significantly greater mortality of Hyalella azteca and Lumbriculus variegatus than tests performed under otherwise comparable conditions with fluorescent light. Results from field experiments corroborated this trend. The results suggest that failure to consider photoactivation of PAHs by sunlight could result in sediment toxicity test methods or criteria which are underprotective of benthic organisms.
- OSTI ID:
- 37504
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273-; TRN: IM9519%%428
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Denver, CO (United States), 30 Oct - 3 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15th annual meeting: Abstract book. Ecological risk: Science, policy, law, and perception; PB: 286 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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