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ASTM Selected Technical Papers
Aquatic Toxicology and Hazard Assessment: Seventh Symposium
By
RD Cardwell
RD Cardwell
1
Envirosphere Company
,
Bellevue, Washington
;
symposium chairman and editor
Search for other works by this author on:
R Purdy
R Purdy
2
3M Company
,
St. Paul, Minnesota
;
symposium chairman and editor
Search for other works by this author on:
R Comotto Bahner
R Comotto Bahner
3
Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, D.C.
;
symposium chairman and editor
Search for other works by this author on:
ISBN-10:
0-8031-0410-3
ISBN:
978-0-8031-0410-5
No. of Pages:
598
Publisher:
ASTM International
Publication date:
1985

There are relatively few broad-scale studies in which the toxicity (including mutagenicity) of complex contaminant mixtures found in the marine environment has been directly tested. The authors recently completed a series of biological effects studies in Puget Sound, Washington, which involved testing the toxicity of sediments from a variety of sites including heavily industrialized embayments and reference and control areas. Areas chosen for testing encompassed gradients of chemical contamination ranging from lightly to heavily impacted. The following tests were done: (1) acute lethality to a marine fish species (stickleback) and two invertebrate species (an oligochaete and an amphipod); (2) sublethal effects on the respiration rate of an oligochaete species; (3) effects on mitosis of fish cells in culture; (4) lethal and sublethal effects on oyster larvae; (5) lethal and sublethal effects on surf smelt eggs and larvae; (6) lethal and sublethal effects on a polychaete's life-cycle; and (7) in vitro fish cell reproduction studies. Up to 97 sites were investigated, and one or more tests were applied to sediments from each site.

The results indicated that sediments collected from areas shown by other studies to be contaminated with a variety of toxic chemicals were capable of causing lethal and sublethal effects to tested biota in the laboratory. There was good correspondence among the results of the different tests. Sediments from badly contaminated areas overall were the most toxic, while those from the least contaminated areas were the least toxic. Data from field and laboratory studies performed by others with fish and benthos supported the geographic trends observed here. Together, the data from this and other studies have shown effects at the subcellular, cellular, organ, organism, and assemblage levels in parts of Puget Sound.

Data on the biological responses are presently being correlated with complimentary chemical data as an initial step to determine possible causes. Meanwhile, the data from this biological effects study and previously performed contaminant surveys are being used to prioritize areas in Puget Sound for alternative remedial actions. Implications to the affected biota are discussed.

1.
Long
,
E. R.
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,”
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13
,
1982
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2.
Chapman
,
P. M.
,
Vigers
,
G. A.
Farrell
,
M. A.
,
Dexter
,
R. N.
,
Quinlan
,
E. A.
,
Kocan
,
R. M.
, and
Landolt
,
M.
, “
Survey of Biological Effects of Toxicants upon Puget Sound Biota: I—Broad-Scale Toxicity Survey
,”
NOAA Technical Memo
. OMPA-25,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
,
Washington, D.C.
,
1982
, 98 pp.
3.
Chapman
,
P. M.
,
Munday
,
D. R.
,
Morgan
,
J.
,
Fink
,
R.
,
Kocan
,
R. M.
,
Landolt
,
M.
, and
Dexter
,
R. N.
, “
Survey of Biological Effects of Toxicants upon Puget Sound Biota: II—Tests of Reproductive Impairment
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
, Washington, D.C.,
1983
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4.
Chapman
,
P. M.
, “
Oligochaete Respiration as a Measure of Sediment Toxicity
,” submitted to
Aquatic Toxicology
.
5.
Kocan
,
R. M.
,
Landolt
,
M. L.
, and
Sabo
,
K. M.
, “
Anaphase Aberration: A Measure of Genotoxicity in Mutagen-Treated Fish Cells
,”
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, Vol.
4
,
1982
, pp. 181-189.
6.
Landolt
,
M. L.
,
Kocan
,
R. M.
, and
Dexter
,
R. N.
, “
Anaphase Aberrations in Cultured Fish Cells as a Bioassay for Marine Sediments
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2nd International Symposium on Responses of Marine Organisms to Pollutants
,
Woods Hole, Mass.
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,
Brown
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,
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, and
Hodgins
,
H. O.
, “
Chemical Contaminants and Biological Abnormalities in Central and Southern Puget Sound
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. OMPA-2,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
,
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,
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9.
Woelke
,
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10.
Malins
,
D. C.
,
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,
Brown
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A. K.
,
Hodgins
,
H. O.
, and
Chan
,
S-L.
, “
Chemical Contaminants and Abnormalities in Invertebrates from Puget Sound
,”
NOAA Technical Memo
. OMPA-19,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
,
Washington, D.C.
,
1982
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11.
Pavlou
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,
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,
Hom
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,
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Krogslund
,
K. A.
, “
Aquatic Disposal Field Investigations, Duwamish Waterway Disposal Site, Puget Sound, Washington: Appendix E—Release and Distribution of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Induced by Open-Water Dredge Disposal Activities
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Riley
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Mann
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Thomas
,
B. L.
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Bean
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, “
Quantitation of Pollutants in Suspended Matter and Water from Puget Sound
,”
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
,
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,
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14.
Dexter
,
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,
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,
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,
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L. S.
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Strickland
,
R. M.
,
Pavlou
,
S. P.
,
Clayton
,
J. R.
, Jr.
,
Kocan
,
R. M.
, and
Landolt
,
M.
, “
A Summary of Knowledge of Puget Sound Related to Chemical Contaminants
,”
NOAA Technical Memo
. OMPA-13,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
,
Washington, D.C.
,
1981
, 435 pp.
15.
Shuba
,
P. J.
,
Tatem
,
H. E.
, and
Carroll
,
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, “
Biological Assessment Methods to Predict the Impact of Open-Water Disposal of Dredged Material
,”
Dredged Material Research Program Technical Report
D-78-50,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
, Vicksburg, Miss.,
1978
, 77 pp.
16.
Swartz
,
R. C.
,
Deben
,
W. A.
, and
Cole
,
F. A.
, “
A Bioassay for the Toxicity of Sediment to Marine Macrobenthos
,”
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, Vol.
51
,
1979
, pp. 944-950.
17.
Swartz
,
R. C.
,
Deben
,
W. A.
,
Sercu
,
K. A.
, and
Lamberson
,
J. O.
, “
Sediment Toxicity and the Distribution of Amphipods in Commencement Bay, Washington, U.S.A.
,
Marine Pollution Bulletin
 0025-326X, Vol.
13
,
1982
, pp. 359-364.
18.
Legore
,
R. S.
and
DesVoigne
,
D. M.
, “
Absence of Acute Effects on Threespine Sticklebacks (Gasterosterus aculeatus) and Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Exposed to Resuspended Harbor Sediment Contaminants
,”
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
, Vol.
30
,
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19.
Chapman
,
P. M.
,
Farrell
,
M. A.
, and
Brinkhurst
,
R. O.
, “
Effects of Species Interactions on the Survival and Respiration of Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri and Tubifex tubifex (Oligochaeta, Tubificidae) Exposed to Various Pollutants and Environmental Factors
,”
Water Research
 0043-1354, Vol.
16
,
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20.
Chapman
,
P. M.
and
Brinkhurst
,
R. O.
, “
Lethal and Sublethal Tolerances of Aquatic Oligochaetes with Reference to Their Use as a Biotic Index of Pollution
,”
Progress in Hydrobiology
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21.
Brinkhurst
,
R. O.
,
Chapman
,
P. M.
, and
Farrell
,
M. A.
, “
A Comparative Study of Respiration Rates of Some Aquatic Oligochaetes in Relation to Sublethal Stress
,”
Internationale Revue Der Gesamten Hydrobiologie
, Vol.
68
,
1983
, pp. 683-699.
22.
Stromberg
,
P. T.
,
Landolt
,
M. L.
, and
Kocan
,
R. N.
, “
Alterations in the Frequency of Sister Chromatid Exchanges in Flatfish from Puget Sound, Washington, Following Experimental and Natural Exposure to Mutagenic Chemicals
,”
NOAA Technical Memo
. OMPA-10,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
,
Washington, D.C.
,
1981
, 43 pp.
23.
Schink
,
T. D.
,
Westley
,
R. E.
, and
Woelke
,
C. E.
, “
Pacific Oyster Embryo Bioassays of Bottom Sediments from Washington Waters
,” unpublished report,
Washington Dept. of Fisheries
,
Olympia
,
1974
, 24 pp.
24.
Cummins
,
J. M.
, “
Effects of Duwamish River Bottom Sediments on Pacific Oyster Embryos
,” unpublished data, U.S. EPA Region X memorandum,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
,
19
09
1973
, 6 pp.
25.
Cummins
,
J. M.
, “
Pacific Oyster Embryo Response to Seawater and Sediments from the Duwamish River, Elliott Bay and Clam Bay, Washington
,” unpublished data, U.S. EPA Region X memorandum,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
,
15
10
1974
, 8 pp.
26.
Cummins
,
J. M.
,
Bauer
,
R. D.
,
Rieck
,
R. H.
,
Schmidt
,
W. B.
, and
Yearsley
,
J. R.
, “
Chemical and Biological Survey of Liberty Bay, Washington
,” EPA-910/9-76-029,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
,
Washington, D.C.
,
1976
, 145 pp.
27.
Cardwell
,
R. D.
,
Woelke
,
C. E.
,
Carr
,
M. I.
, and
Sanborn
,
E.
, “
Maintenance Dredging and the Environment of Grays Harbor Washington: Appendix L—Oyster Bioassays
,” Technical Report,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
, Seattle, Wash.,
1977
, 140 pp.
28.
Cardwell
,
R. D.
,
Woelke
,
C. E.
,
Carr
,
M. I.
, and
Sanborn
,
E. W.
, “
Evaluation of Water Quality of Puget Sound and Hood Canal in 1979
,”
NOAA Technical Memo
. ERL MESA-21,
1977
,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
, 36 pp.
29.
Malins
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,
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Chan
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,
McCain
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B. B.
,
Weber
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D. D.
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Brown
,
D. W.
, “
Sublethal Effects of Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Trace Metals, Including Biotransformations, as Reflected by Morphological, Chemical, Physiological, Pathological and Behavioral Indices
,” Final Report for Work Unit 73,
Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program
,
06
1982
, 268 pp.
30.
Misitano
,
D.
, “
Techniques for Incubating and Hatching Eggs of Surf Smelt for Bioassay
,”
Progressive Fish Culturist
, Vol.
39
,
1977
, p. 187.
31.
Halter
,
M. T.
and
Johnson
,
H. E.
, “
Acute Toxicities of a Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) and DDT Alone and in Combination to Early Life Stages of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
,”
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
, Vol.
31
,
1974
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32.
Rosenthal
,
H.
and
Sperling
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Effects of Cadmium on Development and Survival of Herring Eggs
,” in
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Blaxter
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,
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,
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, pp. 383-396.
33.
Westernhagen
,
H. von
,
Dethlefsen
,
V.
, and
Rosenthal
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, “
Combined Effects of Cadmium and Salinity on Development and Survival of Garpike Eggs
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Helgolaender Wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen
, Vol.
27
,
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, pp. 268-282.
34.
Hawkins
,
J. W.
, and
Stehr
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C. M.
, “
Cytopathology of the Brain and Retina of Embryonic Surf Smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) Exposed to Crude Oil
,”
Environmental Research
 0013-9351, Vol.
27
,
1982
, pp. 164-178.
35.
Reish
,
D. J.
, “
The Effects of Different Pollutants on Ecologically Important Polychaete Worms
,” EPA 600/3-80-053,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
,
Washington, D.C.
,
1980
, 138 pp.
36.
Grassle
,
J.
, “
Polychaete Sibling Species
,” in
Aquatic Oligochaete Biology
,
Brinkhurst
R. O.
and
Cook
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, Eds.,
Plenum Press
,
New York
,
1980
, pp. 25-32.
37.
Jones
,
R. A.
,
Mariani
,
G. M.
, and
Lee
,
G. F.
, “
Evaluation of the Significance of Sediment-Associated Contaminants to Water Quality
,” in
Proceedings
,
American Water Resources Symposium
,
Las Vegas, Nev.
,
09
1979
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38.
Chapman
,
P. M.
and
Long
,
E. R.
, “
The Use of Bioassays as Part of a Comprehensive Approach to Marine Pollution Assessment
,”
Marine Pollution Bulletin
 0025-326X, Vol.
14
,
1983
, pp. 81-84.
39.
Ott
,
F. S.
,
Plesha
,
P. D.
,
Bates
,
R. D.
,
Smith
,
C.
, and
McCain
,
B. B.
, “
Developing Sediment Bioassays as an Ecological Monitoring Tool
,” unpublished manuscript,
National Marine Fisheries Service
,
1983
.
40.
Long
,
E. R.
, “
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Assessing Pollution in Coastal Waters
,”
Conference Record, Oceans '83
,
San Diego, Calif.
,
1983
, pp. 163-178.
41.
E.V.S. Consultants Ltd.
, “
Lethal and Sublethal Toxic Effects of Harmac Bleached Kraft Mill Effluent: Herring Eggs and Larvae
,” unpublished report prepared for
MacMillan Bloedel Ltd.
,
1977
, 88 pp.
42.
McLeay
,
D. J.
and
Brown
,
D. A.
, “
Growth Stimulation and Biochemical Changes in Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Exposed to Bleached Kraft Pulp Mill Effluent for 200 Days
,”
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
, Vol.
31
,
1974
, pp. 1043-1049.
43.
Vigers
,
G. A.
,
Cave
,
W.
, and
Janssen
,
R.
, “
Environmental Improvement of Neroutsos Inlet, B.C.: Vol. 6—Acute and Chronic Effects of Port Alice Sulfite Mill Effluent to Fish
,” unpublished report prepared for Rayonier Canada,
1978
, 59 pp.
44.
Lee
,
R. F.
and
Singer
,
S. C.
, “
Detoxifying Enzymes Systems in Polychaetes: Increases in Activity after Exposure to Aromatic Hydrocarbons
,”
Rapports et Proces-verbaux des Reuhions, Conseil Permanent International Pour L'Exploration de la Mer
, Vol.
179
,
1980
, pp. 29-32.
45.
Spies
,
R. B.
,
Felton
,
J. S.
, and
Dillard
,
L.
, “
Hepatic Mixed-Function Oxidases in California Flatfishes Are Increased in Contaminated Environments and by Oil and PCB Ingestion
,”
Marine Biology
, Vol.
70
,
1982
, pp. 117-127.
46.
Long
,
E. R.
, “
Commencement Bay: Resource-Use Conflicts at a Marine Superfund Site
,”
Conference Record, Oceans '82
,
Washington, D.C.
,
1982
, pp. 1086-1091.
47.
Meyer
,
J. H.
and
Vogel
,
D. A.
, “
An Examination of the Smaller Benthic Invertebrates in Hylebos Waterway, Tacoma, Washington
,” unpublished report,
U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
,
1978
, 11 pp.
48.
Meyer
,
J. H.
,
Pearce
,
T. A.
, and
Patlan
,
S. B.
, “
Distribution and Food Habits of Juvenile Salmonids in the Duwamish Estuary, Washington, 1980
,” unpublished report,
U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
,
1981
, 42 pp.
49.
Chasan
,
D. J.
,
The Water Link - A History of Puget Sound as a Resource
,
University of Washington Press
,
Seattle
,
1981
, 179 pp.
50.
Ziebell
,
C. D.
,
Pine
,
R. E.
,
Mills
,
A. D.
, and
Cunningham
,
R. K.
, “
Field Toxicity Studies and Juvenile Salmon Distribution in Port Angeles Harbor, Washington
,”
Journal of the Water Pollution Control Federation
, Vol.
42
,
1970
, pp. 229-236.
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