Using a triad approach in the assessment of hazardous waste site leaching from a Superfund site to an adjacent stream
- Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology
- Univ. of Memphis, TN (United States)
- Univ. of Mississippi, University, MS (United States)
A triad approach was used in the evaluation of sediment in the Wolf River adjacent to the North Hollywood Dump, a federally listed Superfund site. Chemical analyses were done for 18 organochlorine pesticides, 21 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and 10 metals. Sediment toxicity was evaluated with freshwater invertebrates. Chironomus tentans and Hyalella azteca. Benthic macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance were assessed with a family-level biotic index. Mean Al, Ba, Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in sediments collected in the spring. Both spring and fall sediments exhibited toxicity downstream from, adjacent to, and upstream from the dump, with toxicity significantly higher in fall sediments; however, a consistent trend was not observed. Toxicity was typically greater in the fall, and metal concentrations were typically higher in spring sediments, suggesting that metals were not responsible for the toxicity. Sediment-associated organochlorine pesticide and PCB congener concentrations were all below detectable limits, suggesting that these potential contaminants are not contributing to the observed toxicity. No differences were found in benthic macroinvertebrate community structure, which was composed of predominantly pollution-tolerant families, among seasons or river reaches, which appear to be limited by the physical characteristics of the river. Sediments in urban reaches of the Wolf River appear to be degraded; the North Hollywood Dump cannot be isolated as a source of toxicity in this study. In situ testing, sediment toxicity identification and evaluation testing, acid-volatile sulfide analyses, or artificial substrate work would be appropriate to follow.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 290153
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 17, Issue 10; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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