Predicting the acute toxicity of copper in freshwater sediments: Evaluation of the role of acid-volatile sulfide

Technical Report · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6820045

Ankley, G T; Mattson, V R; Leonard, E N; West, C W; Bennett, J L

Acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) has been proposed as an important partitioning phase determining the bioavailability of cationic metals in sediments. The objective of this research was to evaluate the role of AVS in determining copper toxicity in sediments from two sites heavily contaminated with copper: Steilacoom Lake, Washington, and the Keweenaw Watershed, Michigan. Sediments from the two sites were used in 10-d toxicity tests with the amphipod Hyalella azteca and results of the toxicity tests were compared to bioavailability predictions based on copper and AVS concentrations in the test sediments, as well as copper concentrations in the sediment interstitial (pore) water. These results indicate that AVS alone is not an appropriate partitioning phase for prediting copper bioavailability in freshwater sediments.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN (United States). Environmental Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 6820045
• Report Number(s): PB-95-111837/XAB; EPA--600/J-94/435
• 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.
ACID SULFITES
COPPER
DATA
ELEMENTS
EVALUATED DATA
INFORMATION
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SEDIMENTS
SULFITES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS