Evaluating methods for assessing sediment quality in a Great Lakes embayment
Keywords:
benthic macroinvertebrates, Lake Superior, toxicity tests, chemistry, multimetric index, discriminant function analysisAbstract
A probability-based, sediment quality assessment was conducted during 1995 in the lower St. Louis River Area of Concern, located in western Lake Superior. A regional application of the intensified sampling grid developed for the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program was used to randomly select 90 sites for measuring the following sediment quality indicators: sediment chemistry, physical parameters, sediment toxicity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure. Screening methods were used to assess sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity at all sites, whereas more conventional metrics were used at a subset of sites. In addition, sediment quality data were collected from 20 a priori training sites, 10 in low impact areas and 10 in high impact areas. Mean probable effect concentration quotients were calculated for sediment chemistry variables at each site. As the range of mean probable effect concentration quotients values increased, the incidence of sediment toxicity increased. Benthic data from the training sites were used to establish standard criteria for developing two benthic integrity indices based on multimetric analysis and discriminant function analysis. Based on the training site results, the discriminant function analysis categorized the macroinvertebrate community at all random sites as 45 percent low impact and 55 percent high impact. A multimetric approach categorized 55 percent of the random sites as low impact and 36 percent as high impact. Due to the overlap of 95 percent confidence intervals, the multimetric approach also placed 9 percent of the random sites into an indeterminate category. The incidence of high impact sites appears to be primarily due to physical habitat characteristics. This finding was supported by the sediment quality triad assessment of 52 random sites that indicated alteration of the benthic community at 71 percent of sites was probably not due to chemical contamination.
References
Ankley, G. T., Benoit, D. A., Balogh, J. C., Reynoldson, T. B., Day, K. E. and Hoke, R. A. 1994a. Evaluation of potential confounding factors in sediment toxicity tests with three freshwater benthic invertebrates. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 13: 627–635. [CSA]
Ankley, G. T., Call, D. J., Cox, J. S., Kahl, M. D., Hoke, R. A. and Kosian, P. A. 1994b. Organic carbon partitioning as a basis for predicting the toxicity of chlorpyrifos in sediments. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 13: 621–626. [CSA]
Barbour, M. T., Stribling, J. B. and Karr, J. R. 1995. “Multimetric approach for establishing biocriteria and measuring biological condition”. In Biological Assessment and Criteria: Tools for Water Resource Planning and Decision Making, Edited by: Davis, W. S. and Simon, T. P. pp. 63–76. Ann Arbor, MI: Lewis Publishers.
Barbour, M. T., Gerritsen, J., Snyder, B. D. and Stribling, J. B. 1999. Rapid bioassessment protocols for use in streams and wadeable rivers: Periphyton, benthic macroinvertebrates and fish, Second Edition., Washington, DC: Office of Water, USEPA. EPA 841-B-99-002
Benoit, D. A., Phipps, G. and Ankley, G. T. 1993. A sediment testing intermittent renewal system for the automated renewal of overlying water in toxicity tests with contaminated sediments. Water Res., 27: 1403–1412. [CSA]
Benton, M. J., Malott, M. L., Knight, S. S., Cooper, C. M. and Benson, W. H. 1995. Influence of sediment composition on apparent toxicity in a solid-phase test using bioluminescent bacteria. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 14: 411–414. [CSA]
Breneman, D. and Pontasch, K. 1994. Stream microcosm toxicity tests: predicting the effects of fenvalerate on riffle insect communities. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 13: 381–387. [CSA]
Breneman, D., Richards, C. and Lozano, S. 2000. Environmental influences on benthic community structure in a Great Lakes embayment. J. Great Lakes Res., 26: 287–304. [CSA]
Brinkhurst, R. O. 1986. uide to the freshwater aquatic microdrile oligochaetes of North America. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 84: 1–259. [CSA]
Brouwer, H., Murphy, T. and McArdle, L. 1990. A sediment-contact bioassay with Photobacterium phosphoreum. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 9: 1353–1358. [CSA]
Brown, J. D. 1997. Skewness and kurtosis. Shiken: JALT Testing & Evaluation. SIG Newsletter., 1: 16–18. [CSA]
Budzinski, H., Raoux, C., Baumard, P., Bellocq, J. and Garrigues, P. 1995. Organic Geochemistry: Developments and Applications to Energy, Climate, Environment and Human History, Edited by: Grimalt, J. and Dorronsorro, C. pp. 616–618. San Sebastian, , Spain: A.I.G.O.A.: Donostia.
Burton, G. A. Jr. and Ingersoll, C. G. 1994. Evaluation of sediment toxicity, Edited by: PTI Environmental Services. pp. 86–130. Chicago, IL: USEPA. Assessment Guidance Document, Great Lakes National Program Office, EPA 905-B94-002
Canfield, T., La Point, T. and Swift, M. 1994a. Assessment of benthic invertebrate community structure, Edited by: PTI Environmental Services. pp. 131–175. Chicago, IL: USEPA. Assessment Guidance Document, Great Lakes National Program Office, EPA 905-B94-002
Canfield, T. J., Kemble, N. E., Brumbaugh, W. G., Dwyer, F. J., Ingersoll, C. G. and Fairchild, J. F. 1994b. Use of benthic invertebrate community structure and the sediment quality triad to evaluate metal-contaminated sediment in the upper Clark Fork River, MT. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 13: 1999–2012. [CSA]
Canfield, T. J., Dwyer, F. J., Fairchild, J. F., Haverland, P. S., Ingersoll, C. G., Kemble, N. E., Mount, D. R., La Point, T. W., Burton, G. A. and Swift, M. C. 1996. Assessing contamination in Great Lakes sediments using benthic invertebrate communities and the sediment quality triad approach. J. Great Lakes Res., 22: 565–583. [CSA]
Canfield, T. J., Brunson, E. L., Dwyer, F. J., Ingersoll, C. G. and Kemble, N. E. 1998. Assessing sediments from the upper Mississippi River navigational pools using benthic invertebrate evaluations and the sediment quality triad approach. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 35: 202–212. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
CCME. 1995. Protocol for the derivation of Canadian sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Task Group on Water Quality Guidelines, Ottawa, ON: Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
Chapman, P. M. 1992. “Sediment quality triad approach”. In Sediment Classification Methods Compendium, Edited by: USEPA Sediment Oversight Technical Committee. pp. 10–1. 10–18. Washington, DC: Office of Water, USEPA. EPA 823-R-92-006
Chapman, P. M., Dexter, R. N. and Long, E. R. 1987. Synoptic measures of sediment contamination, toxicity and infaunal community composition (the Sediment Quality Triad) in San Francisco Bay. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 37: 75–96. [CSA]
Chapman, P. M., Anderson, B., Carr, S., Engle, V., Green, R., Hameedi, J., Harmon, M., Haverland, P., Hyland, F., Ingersoll, C., Long, E., Rodgers, J., Salazar, M., Sibley, P. K., Smith, P. J., Swartz, R. C., Thompson, B. and Windom, H. 1997. General guidelines for using the sediment quality triad. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 34: 368–372. [CSA]
Crane, J. L. 1999. Assessment of contaminated sediments in Slip C, Duluth Harbor, Minnesota., Chicago, IL: Great Lakes National Program Office, USEPA. EPA-905-R-99-007. (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/sediments/slipc.pdf)
Crane, J. L., Schubauer-Berigan, M. and Schmude, K. 1997. Sediment assessment of hotspot areas in the Duluth/Superior Harbor., Chicago, IL: Great Lakes National Program Office, USEPA. EPA-905-R97-020. (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/sediments/94mudpuppy.pdf)
Crane, J. L., MacDonald, D. D., Ingersoll, C. G., Smorong, D. E., Lindskoog, R. A., Severn, C. G., Berger, T. A. and Field, L. J. 2000. Development of a framework for evaluating numerical sediment quality targets and sediment contamination in the St. Louis River Area of Concern., Chicago, IL: Great Lakes National Program Office, USEPA. EPA-905-R-00-008. (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/sediments/sqt-slraoc.pdf)
Crane, J. L., MacDonald, D. D., Ingersoll, C. G., Smorong, D. E., Lindskoog, R. A., Severn, C. G., Berger, T. A. and Field, L. J. 2002a. Evaluation of numerical sediment quality targets for the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 43: 1–10. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
Crane, J. L., Smorong, D. E., Pillard, D. A. and MacDonald, D. D. 2002b. Sediment remediation scoping project in Minnesota Slip, Duluth Harbor., Chicago, IL: Great Lakes National Program Office, USEPA. EPA-905-R-02-002. (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/sediments/mnslipreport.pdf)
Diamond, S. A., Milroy, N. J., Mattson, V. R., Heinis, L. J. and Mount, D. R. 2003. Photoactivated toxicity in amphipods collected from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated sites. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 22: 2752–2760. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
Di Toro, D. M., Mahony, J. D., Hansen, D. J., Scott, K. J., Hicks, M. B., Mayr, S. M. and Redmond, M. S. 1990. Toxicity of cadmium in sediments: The role of acid volatile sulfide. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 9: 1487–1502. [CSA]
Field, L. J., MacDonald, D. D., Norton, S. B., Ingersoll, C. G., Severn, C. G., Smorong, D. and Lindskoog, R. 2002. Predicting amphipod toxicity from sediment chemistry using logistic regression models. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 21: 1993–2005. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
Fox, R., Landrum, P. and McCrone, L. 1994. Introduction, Edited by: PTI Environmental Services. pp. 1–9. Chicago, IL: Great Lakes National Program Office, USEPA. Assessment Guidance Document, EPA 905-B94-002
Gerritsen, J. 1995. Additive biological indices for resource management. J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc., 14: 451–457. [CSA]
Ghosh, U., Zimmerman, J. R. and Luthy, R. G. 2003. PCB and PAH speciation among particle types in contaminated harbor sediments and effects on PAH bioavailability. Environ. Sci. Technol., 37: 2209–2217. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
Gilbert, G. O. 1987. Statistical Methods in Environmental Pollution Monitoring., New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Gulley, D. D. and WEST, Inc. 1994. TOXSTAT 3.4., Cheyenne, WY: WEST, Inc..
Hilsenhoff, W. L. 1981. Aquatic Insects of Wisconsin. Keys to Wisconsin Genera and Notes on Biology, Distribution, and Species., Madison, WI: Natural History Council, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Hyland, J. L., Van Dolah, R. F. and Snoots, T. R. 1999. Predicting stress in benthic communities of southeastern U.S. estuaries in relation to chemical contamination of sediments. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 18: 2557–2564. [CSA]
Hyland, J. L., Balthis, W. L., Engle, V. D., Long, E. R., Paul, J. F., Summers, J. K. and Van Dolah, R. F. 2003. Incidence of stress in benthic communities along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts within different ranges of sediment contamination from chemical mixtures. Environ. Monitoring Assess., 81: 149–161. [CSA]
IJC (International Joint Commission). 1989. Great Lakes water quality agreement of 1978 (as amended by Protocol signed November 18, 1987), Windsor, ON: IJC.
Ingersoll, C. G., MacDonald, D. D., Wang, N., Crane, J. L., Field, L. J., Haverland, P. S., Kemble, N. E., Lindskoog, R. A., Severn, C. and Smorong, D. E. 2001. Predictions of sediment toxicity using consensus-based freshwater sediment quality guidelines. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 41: 8–21. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
IT Corporation. 1997. Remedial investigation data report, sediment operable unit, St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar site., Volume 1 of 5, St. Paul, MN: International Technology Corp..
Kraaij, R., Seinen, W., Tolls, J., Cornelissen, G. and Belfroid, A. C. 2002. Direct evidence of sequestration in sediments affecting the bioavailability of hydrophobic organic chemicals to benthic deposit-feeders. Environ. Sci. Technol., 36: 3525–3529. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
Laflamme, R. E. and Hites, R. A. 1978. The global distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in recent sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., 42: 289–303. [CSA]
Long, E. R. and Chapman, P. M. 1985. A sediment quality triad: Measures of sediment contamination, toxicity and infaunal community composition in Puget Sound. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 16: 405–415. [CSA]
Long, E. R. and Wilson, C. J. 1997. On the identification of toxic hot spots using measures of the sediment quality triad. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 34: 373–374. [CSA]
Long, E. R., MacDonald, D. D., Cubbage, J. C. and Ingersoll, C. G. 1998. Predicting the toxicity of sediment-associated trace metals with simultaneously extracted trace metal:acid volatile sulfide concentrations and dry weight-normalized concentrations: A critical comparison. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 17: 972–974. [CSA]
MacDonald, D. D., Ingersoll, C. G. and Berger, T. A. 2000. Development and evaluation of consensus-based sediment quality guidelines for freshwater ecosystems. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 39: 20–31. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
MacDonald, D. D., Ingersoll, C. G., Smorong, D. E., Lindskoog, R. A., Sparks, D. W., Smith, J. R., Simon, T. P. and Hanacek, M. A. 2002. An assessment of injury to sediments and sediment-dwelling organisms in the Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor Area of Concern. Arch. Environ. Cont. Toxicol., 43: 141–155. [CSA]
MDH (Minnesota Department of Health). 2002. Site-specific meal advice for tested lakes and rivers., St. Paul, MN: Environmental Health Division, MDH.
Merritt, R. W. and Cummins, K. W., eds. 1996. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America , 3rd ed., Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co..
Microbics Corp. 1994. Microtox7 M500 manual: A toxicity testing handbook., Vol. 3, Carlsbad, CA: Microbics Corporation.
Monson, P. D., Ankley, G. T. and Kosian, P. A. 1995. Phototoxic response of Lumbriculus variegatus to sediments contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 14: 891–894. [CSA]
Morse, J. W. and Rickard, D. 2004. Chemical dynamics of sedimentary acid volatile sulfide. Environ. Sci. Technol., 38: 131A–136A. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), WDNR (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources). 1992. The St. Louis River system remedial action plan. Stage one., St. Paul, Madison, MN, WI: MPCA, WDNR. (http://www.stlouisriver.org/rap.html)
MPCA, WDNR. 1995. The St. Louis River system remedial action plan. Progress report., St. Paul, Madison, MN, WI: MPCA, WDNR. (http://www.stlouisriver.org/stage2/stage2_report.pdf)
Pardos, M., Benninghoff, C., Thomas, R. L. and Khim-Heang, S. 1999. Confirmation of elemental sulfur toxicity in the Microtox® assay during organic extracts assessment of freshwater sediments. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 18: 188–193. [CSA]
Peterson, G. S., Axler, R. P., Lodge, K. B., Schuldt, J. A. and Crane, J. L. 2002. Evaluation of a fluorometric screening method for predicting total PAH concentrations in contaminated sediments. Environ. Monitoring Assess., 78: 111–129. [CSA]
Prahl, F. G. and Carpenter, R. 1984. Hydrocarbons in Washington coastal sediments. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci., 18: 703–720. [CSA]
Reddy, C. M., Pearson, A., Xu, L., McNichol, A. P., Benner, B. A. Jr., Wise, S. A., Klouda, G. A., Currie, L. A. and Eglinton, T. I. 2002. Radiocarbon as a tool to apportion the sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon in environmental samples. Environ. Sci. Technol., 36: 1774–1782. [PUBMED][INFOTRIEVE][CSA]
Redman, S. and Janisch, T. 1995. Newton Creek system sediment contamination site characterization report., Madison, WI: Sediment Management and Remediation Techniques Program, WDNR. PUBL-WR-433-95
SAS. 1988. SAS User's Guide: Statistics., Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc..
Schubauer-Berigan, M. and Crane, J. L. 1996. Preliminary contaminant assessment of the Thomson, Forbay, and Fond du Lac Reservoirs., St. Paul, MN: Water Quality Division, MPCA. (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/sediments/cloquet.pdf)
Schubauer-Berigan, M. and Crane, J. L. 1997. Survey of sediment quality in the Duluth/Superior Harbor: 1993 sample results., Chicago, IL: Great Lakes National Program Office, USEPA. EPA 905-R97-005. (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/sediments/93mud.pdf)
SEH Inc. 2000. Site investigation report. Newton Creek segments B and C, Superior, Wisconsin., Chippewa Falls, WI: Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.. SEH No. WIDNR9905.00
SEH Inc. 2003. Remedial investigation report., Douglas County, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, WI: Newton Creek, Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.. SEH No. WIDNR9905.02
St. Louis River CAC. 2002. Lower St. Louis River habitat plan., Duluth, MN: St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee. (http://www.stlouisriver.org/habitatplan/habitatplan.html)
Suter, G. W. II. 2001. Applicability of indicator monitoring to ecological risk assessment. Ecol. Indicat., 1: 101–112. [CSA]
Thorp, J. H. and Covich, A. P., eds. 1991. Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates., San Diego, CA: Academic Press, Inc..
Tung, K. K., Scheibner, G., Miller, T. and Bulich, A. A. 1990. A new method for testing soil and sediment samples. SETAC 11th Annual Meeting Abstract Book. 1990. Pensacola, FL: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
URS Corporation. 2002. Former Duluth works LIF investigation report., Minneapolis, MN: URS Corporation.
USACE (United States Army Corps of Engineers). 1997. Phase II report. Draft dredged material management plan study and environmental impact statement., Minnesota and Wisconsin: Duluth-Superior Harbor. USACE, Detroit District, Detroit, MI
USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). 1993. Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (R-EMAP)., Cincinnati, OH: Office of Research and Development and Office of Science, Planning and Regulatory Evaluation, USEPA. EPA/625/R-93/012
USEPA. 1994. Methods for measuring the toxicity and bioaccumulation of sediment-associated contaminants with freshwater invertebrates., Duluth, MN: Office of Research and Development, USEPA. EPA/600/R-94/024
USEPA. 1997. The incidence and severity of sediment contamination in surface waters of the United States. Volume 1: National sediment quality survey, Washington, DC: Office of Science and Technology, USEPA. EPA 823-R-97-006
Venkatesan, M. I. 1988. Occurrence and possible sources of perylene in marine sediments. A review. Mar. Chem., 25: 1–28. [CSA]
Wakeham, S. G., Schaffner, C. and Giger, W. 1980a. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in recent lake sediments—II. Compounds derived from biogenic precursors during early diagenesis. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., 44: 415–430. [CSA]
Wakeham, S. G., Schaffner, C. and Giger, W. 1980b. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in recent lake sediments—I. Compounds having anthropogenic origins. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., 44: 403–413. [CSA]
Wiederholm, T., ed. 1983. “Chironomidae of the Holarctic region–Keys and diagnoses”. In Larvae. Ent. Scand. Suppl. 19 Vol. 1, 1–457.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Manuscripts must be original. They must not be published or be under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. It is required that the lead author of accepted papers complete and sign the MSU Press AEHM Author Publishing Agreement and provide it to the publisher upon acceptance.
