Marine complex effluent toxicity program: Test sensitivity, repeatability and relevance to receiving water toxicity

Abstract

In March 1984, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a significant change in procedures regulating toxic materials in effluents through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Concurrent with this toxicity‐based effluent control policy, the EPA established the marine/estuarine component of the Complex Effluent Toxicity Testing Program (CETTP). The CETTP was established to provide reliable, sensitive and environmentally meaningful test protocols that could be used to detect toxic industrial and municipal effluents within the NPDES. Five toxicity test methods have been developed and validated for the program since 1984 using a marine plant (Champia parvula), two invertebrate species (Arbacia punctulata and Mysidopsis bahia) and two fish species (Cyprinodon variegatus and Menidia beryllina). The laboratory precision test results for the methods were acceptable; coefficients of variation for all methods were less than 54%, averaging 34%. Numerous field tests were conducted using these methods and the results indicate that tests on receiving waters (in which effluent concentrations could be estimated through controlled dye studies) accurately reflect the toxicity of the effluents measured directly. Receiving water impacts, when observed, were generally near‐field in nature. The test methods developed are sensitive, efficient, reliable and environmentally relevant measures of effluent toxicity and offer promise for reducing adverse impacts from point‐source discharges in near‐coastal waters.

Survey of toxicity in ambient waters of the hudson/raritan estuary, USA: Importance of small‐scale variations

“…Neither species was consistently more sensitive than the other, however; depending on the event or the station, either species could be more sensitive. These results are consistent with earlier findings from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Complex Effluent Toxicity Testing Program [3]. They underscore the importance of testing toxicity with more than one species and collecting samples during different times.…”

Spatial and temporal variation in results of purple urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) toxicity tests with zinc

“…High inter‐ and intralaboratory variability in results of purple urchin fertilization tests has been previously reported [4,36–38]. Reported coefficients of variation ranging from 16 to 98% [36–38] bracket the results of the present study, where coefficients of variation of fertilization test results were 86.5% for laboratory‐maintained and 76.8% for field‐collected urchins.…”

Environmental Monitoring Of Remedial Dredging At The New Bedford Harbor, Ma, Superfund Site

“…Of all the toxicity tests used in this monitoring program, Champia reproduction is the most sensitive to two classes of anthropogenic stressors (metals and organics) as well as natural stressors (e.g., nutrients, temperature) (Schimmel et al, 1989). In addition, another study with this test species was conducted to assess small-scale (i.e., within a station) and large-scale (i.e., between station) variability (Thursby et al, 2000).…”