Evaluation of Interstitial Water as a Route of Exposure for Ammonia in Sediment Tests With Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Whiteman, Frank W.; Ankley, Gerald T.; Kahl, Michael D.; Rau, Daniel M.; Balcer, Mary D.

doi:10.1897/1551-5028(1996)015<0794:eoiwaa>2.3.co;2

Cited by 32 publications

(45 citation statements)

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“…This seems to contradict the findings reported here (average survival 92.5% at a maximum concentration of 9.7 mg NH 4 + /L; pH8.0), but may be explained by the differing ammonia concentrations in pore water. Whiteman et al (1996) measured 70.1 mg ammonia-N/L in the pore water (pH6.39), while in the pore water of the respective treatment group in experiment 1, only 7.8 mg NH 4 + /L (pH7.0) were measured. At 13 mg ammonia-N/L pore water, amphipod survival was not affected (Whiteman et al 1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…The ammonia concentrations measured in the vessels with H. azteca ranged from 0.8 to 9.7 mg/L and the pH ranged from 7.0 to 8.2, without any visible effect on survival. Whiteman et al (1996) reported 53% mortality at 8.2 mg/L ammonia-N (pH6.8) in the overlying water of a 4-day spiked-sediment test with H. azteca. This seems to contradict the findings reported here (average survival 92.5% at a maximum concentration of 9.7 mg NH 4 + /L; pH8.0), but may be explained by the differing ammonia concentrations in pore water.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is, however, essential to know potential impacts of these foods on critical test conditions such as pH, dissolved oxygen, and ammonia production. Unionized ammonia (NH 3 ) is known to be toxic to benthic invertebrates that are frequently used in sediment toxicity tests (e.g., Ankley et al 1994;Borgmann 1994;Ankley et al 1995;Schubauer-Berigan et al 1995;Whiteman et al 1996;Besser et al 1998). This is especially critical to static test systems without water renewal as described in OECD TG 218 (OECD 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Potential effects of food addition to sediment on test conditions in sediment toxicity tests

2010

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Purpose Standardized sediment toxicity assays often employ periodic additions of uncontaminated food to sustain energy and growth requirements of the test organisms. Consequently, selective feeding on this uncontaminated food may reduce exposure to sediment particles containing the test substance. To address this issue, some standard guidelines propose to add food to the sediment before spiking with the test substance to account for multiple exposure routes, including ingestion of contaminated food. The present study focused on the influence of different feeding regimens and compositions of the aqueous medium on water quality (ammonia concentrations) and test organism development. Materials and methods Lumbriculus variegatus, Hyalella azteca, and Chironomus riparius larvae were used as test organisms. Ammonia production was investigated under different feeding regimens and test conditions as well as under the presence of a potential inhibitor of nitrification, 4,4'-methylenedianiline. Results and discussion Ammonia concentrations strongly depended on the feeding regimen and on the type of food. An influence of 4,4'-methylenedianiline on test organisms or ammonia concentrations was not found at the tested level. Independently of ammonia concentrations, L. variegatus were more sensitive to food type and less sensitive to medium composition than H. azteca. Ammonia levels, emergence ratio, and development rate of C. riparius were not different under periodic feeding and single addition of Urtica. Findings suggest that in case of a "sediment-incorporated" feeding regimen, the time point of food addition to the sediment and careful pH control appear critical. For H. azteca and L. variegatus, an Urtica/cellulose mixture provides a balance between ammonia production and organism development. Conclusions This article gives recommendations and caveats for conducting spiked-sediment tests with a single addition of sediment-incorporated food. The presented work also contributed to the development of two recently adopted OECD test guidelines related to sediment toxicity and bioaccumulation testing with endobenthic oligochaetes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Potential effects of food addition to sediment on test conditions in sediment toxicity tests

2010

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“…Acceptability criterion of bioassays was set at ≥80 %; both for amphipods survival in whole-sediments (Whiteman et al 1996) and for the embryogenesis success of sea urchin larvae in elutriates (Cesar et al 2004;Marin et al 2007). A sample was considered toxic when (1) there was a statistically significant difference between control and testing samples (ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc; α0 0.05), and (2) the difference was higher than 20 % (e.g.…”

Section: Toxicity Bioassaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrative sediment assessment at Atlantic Spanish harbours by means of chemical and ecotoxicological tools

Montero

Belzunce-Segarra

Menchaca

et al. 2012

Environ Monit Assess

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This study refers to the integrative assessment of sediment quality in three harbour areas at the Spanish Atlantic Coast: Vigo (Northwestern Spain), Bilbao and Pasajes (Northern Spain). At each site, two lines of evidence have been considered: chemical analyses (metal, PAH and PCB concentrations in sediments and ammonia concentration in bioassays) and toxicity tests (Microtox®, Corophium sp. marine amphipod and Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin larvae). Chemical and ecotoxicological results have been integrated by means of a tabular matrix and a multivariate factorial analysis (FA). Highly toxic samples have been characterised in Vigo and Pasajes harbours while Bilbao samples present toxicity levels ranging from non-toxic to moderately toxic. High toxicity is associated with high levels of contaminants whereas confounding factors (ammonia, organic matter and mud) have been identified to be the main cause of low to moderate toxicity. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that deriving potential toxicity of sediments based on comparison with Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) is in agreement to toxicity results in areas presenting high levels of contaminants. However, at lower levels of toxicity (low to moderate), the mismatch between the potential toxicity (SQG approach) and the toxicity measured by bioassays is greater, as the former only accounts for chemical concentrations, without considering the interaction between contaminants and the effect of confounding factors. Contrarily, the multivariate analysis seems to be a robust tool for the integration and interpretation of different lines of evidence in areas affected by different sources of contamination.

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“…Chemical parameters of the overlying water in the solid-phase tests were within acceptable ranges for H. azteca. Ammonia in the pore water increased downstream, but concentrations (<5 mg L −1 ) were below those known to be toxic to H. azteca (Whiteman et al, 1996). Alkalinity concentrations, however, were at or near lethal concentrations, especially at Stations 1 and 2 (Lasier et al, 1997).…”

Section: Physical/chemical Characteristics-sediments and Pore Watermentioning

confidence: 89%

Combined use of rapid bioassessment protocols and sediment quality triad to assess stream quality

Winger

Lasier

Bogenrieder

2005

Environ Monit Assess

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Physical, chemical and biological conditions at five stations on a small southeastern stream were evaluated using the Rapid Bioassessment Protocols (RBP) and the Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) to assess potential biological impacts of a municipal wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) on downstream resources. Physical habitat, benthic macroinvertebrates and fish assemblages were impaired at Stations 1 and 2 (upstream of the WWTF), suggesting that the degraded physical habitat was adversely impacting the fish and benthic populations. The SQT also demonstrated that Stations 1 and 2 were degraded, but the factors responsible for the impaired conditions were attributed to the elevated concentrations of polycylclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals (Mn, Pb) in the sediments. The source of contaminants to the upper reaches of the stream appears to be storm-water runoff from the city center. Increased discharge and stabilized base flow contributed by the WWTF appeared to benefit the physically-altered stream system. Although the two assessment procedures demonstrated biological impairment at the upstream stations, the environmental factors identified as being responsible for the impairment were different: the RBP provided insight into contributions associated with the physical habitat and the SQT contributed information on contaminants and sediment quality. Both procedures are important in the identification of physical and chemical factors responsible for environmental impairment and together they provide information critical to the development of appropriate management options for mitigation.

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Evaluation of Interstitial Water as a Route of Exposure for Ammonia in Sediment Tests With Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Cited by 32 publications

References 0 publications

Potential effects of food addition to sediment on test conditions in sediment toxicity tests

Potential effects of food addition to sediment on test conditions in sediment toxicity tests

Integrative sediment assessment at Atlantic Spanish harbours by means of chemical and ecotoxicological tools

Combined use of rapid bioassessment protocols and sediment quality triad to assess stream quality

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