Chronic toxicity of zinc-spiked sediments; Evaluation of the acid volatile sulfide (AVS) model using Chironomus tentans

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:460548

Sibley, P K; Ankley, G T; Cotter, A M; Leonard, E N ^[1]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN (United States). Mid-Continent Ecology Div.

Most research supporting AVS as a normalization phase for predicting the bioavailability of cationic metals from sediments is based on short-term laboratory exposures. Evidence supporting the theory with respect to chronic exposures is lacking. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate whether the AVS model could predict toxicity to Chironomus tentans in a life cycle exposure to zinc-spiked sediments. Clean sediment was spiked with Zn to obtain nominal treatments ranging from {minus}2.35 to 58.5 {micro}g/g dw with respect to the molar difference between simultaneously extracted metal and AVS. The test was initiated with newly hatched larvae and carried through one complete generation (56 d) during which survival, growth, emergence, and reproduction were monitored. When SEM-AVS was < 0, the concentration of Zn in the pore water was low and no adverse effects were observed for any of the endpoints. Conversely, when SEM-AVS exceeded 0, a dose-dependent increase in the relative concentration of pore water Zn was observed. However, the absolute concentration of pore water Zn at each treatment declined with time, corresponding to an increase in AVS and to loss of Zn due to diffusion into the overlying water (renewed twice daily). Only when SEM-AVS exceeded approximately 6.5 were significant reductions in survival, growth, emergence, and reproductive output observed. In general, the chemical and biological data of this study agree with observations made in short-term exposures and thus support the use of AVS as a normalization phase for predicting the potential for toxicity in metal-contaminated sediments.

• OSTI ID: 460548
• Report Number(s): CONF-961149--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
FLIES
INORGANIC ACIDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SULFIDES
WATER POLLUTION
ZINC