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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

History of aquatic toxicology and the evolution of field studies in risk assessment

Conference ·
OSTI ID:85943
Aquatic toxicology has developed as a multidisciplinary science in scope. Early studies first concentrated on single-species acute laboratory tests with effluents to assess stress to fish and invertebrates. Later studies progressed to full chronic and partial chronic tests with various xenobiotics including pesticides. In response to a growing need to evaluate the risk of xenobiotics to a myriad of aquatic organisms various types of natural and simulated model field studies have evolved in parallel with multi-species and sediment-water laboratory toxicity tests. Each test has advantages and limitations and field studies have very unique problems. Laboratory tests along with fate models continue to be the foundation for decisions in risk assessment. The role of aquatic field studies in risk assessment is still not clearly understood. The presentation will emphasize aquatic field studies with special consideration to background, and the advantages and limitations of the different types.
OSTI ID:
85943
Report Number(s):
CONF-9410273--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English