Sediment quality assessment studies of Tampa Bay, Florida
- Texas A and M Univ., Corpus Christi, TX (United States)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA (United States). ORCA/Coastal Monitoring and Bioeffects Assessment Div.
- Skidaway Inst. of Oceanography, Savannah, GA (United States)
- Scientific Applications International Corp., Narragansett, RI (United States)
- Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, FL (United States)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD (United States). ORCA/Coastal Monitoring and Bioeffects Assessment Div.
A survey of the toxicity of sediments throughout the Tampa Bay estuary was performed as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration`s National Status and Trends Program. The objectives of the survey were to determine the spatial extent and severity of toxicity and to identify relationships between chemical contamination and toxicity. Three independent toxicity tests were performed: a 10-d amphipod survival test of the whole sediments with Ampelisca abdita, a sea urchin fertilization test of sediment pore water with Arbacia punctulata, and a 5-min Microtox{reg_sign} bioluminescence test with solvent extracts of the sediments. Seventy-three percent of the 165 undiluted sediment pore-water samples were significantly toxic in the amphipod tests. The causes of toxicity were not determined. However, concentrations of numerous trace metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and ammonia were highly correlated with pore-water toxicity. Concentrations of many substances, especially total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), endrin, total PCBs, certain PAHs, lead, and zinc, occurred at concentrations in the toxic samples that equaled or exceeded concentrations that have been previously associated with sediment toxicity.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 268024
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 15; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Identification of acute toxicants in New Bedford Harbor sediments
Comparison of test specific sediment effect concentrations with marine sediment quality assessment guidelines