title: Screening-level ecological risk assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in sediments and aquatic biota from the Venice Lagoon, Italy.
abstract: Recent monitoring data indicate that portions of Italy's Venice Lagoon ecosystem have been degraded due to biological and chemical pollution from a variety of potential sources. Using polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and dibenzofuran (PCDF) data collected from sediment, fish and shellfish in the Lagoon, a screening-level ecological risk assessment (ERA) was performed to evaluate the risks to representative aquatic biota and wildlife receptors. Risks to aquatic invertebrates posed by PCDD/Fs in sediment were evaluated by comparing measured tissue concentrations in fish and shellfish to appropriate ecotoxicological reference values. For mammalian and avian receptors, risks posed by theoretical exposures to PCDD/Fs through the food chain were calculated using conservative wildlife exposure models. Results of the screening-level approach indicate that the potential for adverse effects to fish and aquatic invertebrate receptors from PCDD/Fs in surficial sediments are unlikely. Adverse effects to wildlife are possible but highly uncertain, and warrants further investigation in a more comprehensive ERA.
authors.affiliation: McLaren/Hart-ChemRisk, Alameda, CA 94502, USA. richard_wenning@mclaren-hart.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wenning
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luksemburg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Della Sala
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scazzola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004463:Ecology; D005399:Fishes; D020387:Food Chain; D007558:Italy; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012758:Shellfish / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants