Use of benthic invertebrate community structure and the sediment quality triad to evaluate metal-contaminated sediment in the upper Clark Fork River, Montana
- 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), Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States) Vol. 13:12; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Bioaccumulation of metals by Hyalella azteca exposed to contaminated sediments from the upper Clark Fork River, Montana
Characterization of ecological risks at the Milltown Reservoir-Clark Fork River Sediments Superfund Site, Montana
Related Subjects
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
ANNELIDS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARSENIC
ARTHROPODS
BENTHOS
CADMIUM
CONTAMINATION
COPPER
CRUSTACEANS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIPTERA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FLIES
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
LAWS
LEAD
MANGANESE
METALS
MONTANA
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
POLLUTION LAWS
RIVERS
SEDIMENTS
SEMIMETALS
SENSITIVITY
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
US SUPERFUND
USA
WATER POLLUTION
ZINC