Assessing ecological risks within a highly industrialized estuary
- McLaren-Hart/ChemRisk, Portland, ME (United States)
- Merck and Co., Whitehouse Station, NJ (United States)
- McLaren-Hart/ChemRisk, Warren, NJ (United States)
Ecological assessment (EA) was conducted for a landfill located along an industrialized river within the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary. This estuary has been subjected to intense industrial and urban development throughout the past two centuries, resulting in alterations to the Site and regional ecology. For these reasons, consideration was given to the local and regional setting, and the relatively low quantity and degraded quality of habitats that exist in proximity to the Site. The EA focused on two ecological receptor groups: (1) aquatic receptors (i.e., benthic invertebrates and small forage fish) exposed primarily through direct contact with sediments and surface water; and (2) piscivorous species (i.e., great blue heron) for whom exposure is the result of trophic transfer through dietary intakes. Estimates of accumulation in prey species of the great blue heron were derived using a simplified food web model to predict trophic transfer. The primary chemicals of potential ecological concern (COPEC) included arsenic, selenium, mercury, as well as PCBs. Based on the results of this assessment, risk to piscivorous wildlife are very low; derived hazard quotients (HQ) were below one for all COPEC. HQ greater than one were observed for direct exposures to aquatic receptors, however, the HQ determined for exposures at the Site were generally within the range of those reported for sediments and surface waters throughout the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary. In addition, numerous non-chemical stressors were identified that likely significantly affect the health and abundance of aquatic organisms. For these reasons, the Site was determined not to contribute an increased risk to ecological receptors above a regional level.
- OSTI ID:
- 460528
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149-; TRN: IM9718%%109
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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