Development of a method for assessing the toxicity of volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) to soil biota

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

OSTI ID:49571

Cureton, P M ^[1]; Lintott, D; Balch, G; Goudey, S ^[2]

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1. Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). Evaluation and Interpretation Branch
2. HydroQual Labs. Ltd., Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

A method was developed to assess the toxicity of VOCs to plants and earthworms (survival of Eisenia foetida). The procedures followed were based on Greene et al. Gas samples for head space analyses were removed, at test initiation a termination, through a bulkhead fitting in the lid equipped with septa. Treatment levels were prepared, at low temperature to minimize volatilization, by spiking a soil sample with the compound of interest and then serially diluting it with clean soil. Root elongation tests were conducted on filter paper supported by 70 mesh silica sand spiked with the volatile of interest. Soils were then inundated with water, shaken with heating, and the headspace reanalyzed for the total contaminant concentration in the test system (total equals headspace plus adsorbed). Enclosing the seeds and worms in containers did not appear to have detrimental effects. VOCs tested included benzene, xylene, toluene, ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethylene, and 1,1,2-trichloroethylene. Each test was repeated three times with different batches of soil, seed lots and worms from different colonies. Endpoints derived based on nominal and measured concentrations included: NOEC, LOEC, LC{sub 50} and LC{sub 25} for earthworm mortality and EC{sub 50} and EC{sub 25} for emergence and root elongation.

• OSTI ID: 49571
• Report Number(s): CONF-9410273--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ANNELIDS
BENZENE
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
SENSITIVITY
SOILS
TOLUENE
TOXICITY
XYLENES