Baseline ecological risk assessment of the Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana: Part 2. An evaluation of the predictive ability of effects-based sediment-quality guidelines

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
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Abstract

Three sets of effects-based sediment-quality guidelines (SQGs) were evaluated to support the selection of sediment-quality benchmarks for assessing risks to benthic invertebrates in the Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana. These SQGs included probable effect concentrations (PECs), effects range median values (ERMs), and logistic regression model (LRMs)-based T50 values. The results of this investigation indicate that all three sets of SQGs tend to underestimate sediment toxicity in the Calcasieu Estuary (i.e., relative to the national data sets), as evaluated using the results of 10-day toxicity tests with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, or Ampelisca abdita, and 28-day whole-sediment toxicity tests with the H. azteca. These results emphasize the importance of deriving site-specific toxicity thresholds for assessing risks to benthic invertebrates.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Baseline ecological risk assessment of the Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana: Part 2. An evaluation of the predictive ability of effects-based sediment-quality guidelines
Series title Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
DOI 10.1007/s00244-010-9637-8
Volume 61
Issue 1
Year Published 2011
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Columbia Environmental Research Center, Contaminant Biology Program
Description 15 p.
First page 14
Last page 28
Country United States
State Louisiana
Other Geospatial Calcasieu Estuary
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