Use of benthic invertebrate community structure and the sediment quality triad to evaluate metal-contaminated sediment in the upper Clark Fork River, Montana

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620131213· OSTI ID:6792311

Canfield, T J; Kemble, N E; Brumbaugh, W G; Dwyer, F J; Ingersoll, C G; Fairchild, J F ^[1]

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1. National Biological Survey, Columbia, MO (United States). Midwest Science Center

The upper Clark Fork River, above Flathead River, is contaminated with large amounts of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, and Zn ores from past mining activities. The contaminated area extends from the Butte and Anaconda area to at least 230 km downstream to Milltown Reservoir. Both the upper Clark Fork River and Milltown Reservoir have been designated as US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites because of metal-contaminated bottom sediments. The authors evaluated the impacts of past mining activities on the Clark Fork River ecosystem using benthic invertebrate community assessment, residue chemistry, and toxicity testing. Oligochaeta and Chironomidae generally accounted for over 90% of the benthic invertebrate community in the soft sediment depositional areas. Taxa of Oligochaeta and Chironomidae were predominantly pollution tolerant. Higher numbers of Chironomidae genera were present at stations with higher concentrations of metals in sediment identified as toxic by the amphipod Hyalella azteca in 28-d exposures. Frequency of mouthpart deformities in genera of Chironomidae was low and did not correspond to concentrations of metals in sediment. Total abundance of organisms/m[sup 2] did not correspond to concentrations of metals in the sediment samples. Chemical analyses, laboratory toxicity tests, and benthic community evaluations all provide evidence of metal-induced degradation to aquatic communities in both the reservoir and the river. Using a weight-of-evidence approach--the Sediment Quality Triad--provided good concurrence among measures of benthic community structure, sediment chemistry, and laboratory toxicity.

• OSTI ID: 6792311
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 13:12; Other Information: Presented at the Symposium on Integrated Ecological Assessment of a Superfund Site: Milltown Reservoir, Clark Fork River, Montana, 13th Annual Meeting, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 8--12, 1992; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANNELIDS
SENSITIVITY
ARSENIC
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
TOXICITY
CADMIUM
COPPER
CRUSTACEANS
FLIES
LEAD
MANGANESE
MONTANA
RIVERS
WATER POLLUTION
SEDIMENTS
CONTAMINATION
ZINC
BENTHOS
US SUPERFUND
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIPTERA
ELEMENTS
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
LAWS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
POLLUTION LAWS
SEMIMETALS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology