Reference-area performance standards for Puget Sound

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5269776

Chemical and biological conditions in the sediments at sites in three areas of Puget Sound were analyzed as part of the study. Analysis of sediments from Samish Bay, Holmes Harbor, and Carr Inlet included chemical concentrations, total organic carbon, acid-volatile sulfides, total solids, grain size distribution, and sediment toxicity as measured by amphipod mortality, bivalve larvae mortality and abnormality, echinoderm embryo mortality and abnormality, juvenile polychaete mortality and biomass, and saline Microtox bacterial luminescence bioassays. The performance standards developed for Puget Sound sediment reference sites will provide a consistent basis for comparison and use of sediment data collected by various programs. Based on the performance standards developed, the report found specific stations in Carr Inlet, Holmes Harbor, and Samish Bay to be suitable as sediment reference areas.

• Research Organization: PTI Environmental Services, Bellevue, WA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5269776
• Report Number(s): PB-92-166917/XAB; CNN: EPA-68-D8-0085
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BAYS
BIOASSAY
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COASTAL WATERS
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
HARBORS
INVERTEBRATES
METALS
MONITORING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC OCEAN
POLLUTION
PUGET SOUND
SEAS
SEDIMENTS
SENSITIVITY
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
WATER POLLUTION