Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Notice of Availability of Methods for Assessing the Chronic Toxicity of Marine and Estuarine Sediment-associated Contaminants with the Amphipod
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are publishing a technical manual that describes procedures for testing an estuarine organism in the laboratory to evaluate the potential toxicity of contaminants in whole sediments. This document supplements (but does not replace) procedures originally published in 1994 (EPA/600/6–94/025), for measuring acute sediment toxicity in marine and estuarine sediments. This document includes a new method for evaluating sublethal effects of sediment-associated contaminants utilizing long-term sediment exposures.
Copies of the complete document, titled Methods for Assessing the Chronic Toxicity of Marine and Estuarine Sediment-associated Contaminants with the Amphipod
D. Scott Ireland, EPA, Standards and Health Protection Division (4305), Office of Science and Technology, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; or call (202) 260–6091; fax (202) 260–9830; or e-mail
Sediment contamination is a widespread environmental problem that can potentially pose a threat to a variety of aquatic ecosystems. Sediment functions as a reservoir for common contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic.
This technical manual describes procedures for testing an estuarine organism in the laboratory to evaluate the potential toxicity of contaminants in whole sediments. Sediments may be collected from the field or spiked with compounds in the laboratory. Toxicity methods are outlined for the estuarine amphipod,
This technical manual has been subjected to review by EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory and Office of Science and Technology and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement by the Agency or recommendation for use.