Toxicity of sediments near an aluminum smelter on the St. Lawrence river to aquatic organisms

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:49527

Metcalfe-Smith, J L ^[1]; Sirota, G R; Holtze, K E; Reid, J J ^[2]

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1. National Water Research Inst., Burlington, Ontario (Canada)
2. B.A.R. Environmental Inc., Guelph, Ontario (Canada)

Under a US EPA Superfund Administrative Order, over 50,000 cu yds of bottom sediments contaminated with fluoride, cyanide, PCBs, PAHs and Al will be dredged from the St. Lawrence River near the Reynolds Metals plant at Massena, NY in 1994. The purpose of this study was to determine the toxicity of these sediments to aquatic organisms and the potential for remobilizing sediment-bound contaminants into the water column during dredging. Sediment was collected from 7 sites along a gradient from the outfall in October 1993. Sediment from the most contaminated site ``B2`` (1,500 {mu}g/g fluoride, 30 {mu}g/g cyanide, 450 {mu}g/g PCBs, 3,500 {mu}g/g PAHs, 90,000 {mu}g/g Al), caused complete mortality of mayflies, Hexagenia limbata, and avoidance, considerable weight loss and some mortality in fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, after 21 d exposure. Mortality was not observed at other sites, but growth of both organisms decreased with increasing contamination. LOECs of B2 elutriate were 13% for survival and reproduction of Ceriodaphnia dubia, and 6% for survival and 1.5% for growth of larval fatheads. Elutriates of other sediments were nontoxic. TIE testing suggested organic contaminants as the primary toxicants. Over 2,000 cu yds of sediment are highly toxic and 18,000 cu yds somewhat toxic. Toxicity of B2 elutriate shows that contaminants enter the water column when sediments are disturbed and may harm indigenous biota.

• OSTI ID: 49527
• Report Number(s): CONF-9410273--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ALUMINIUM
CRUSTACEANS
CYANIDES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FATHEAD MINNOW
FLIES
FLUORIDES
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEDIMENTS
SENSITIVITY
SMELTERS
ST LAWRENCE RIVER
TOXICITY
WATER POLLUTION