Toxicity assessment of oil-contaminated freshwater sediments.
The performance of four microscale toxicity bioassays conducted on whole sediments was evaluated during a bioremediation project undertaken in 1999-2000 on a crude oil-contaminated freshwater shoreline of the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada. The toxicity tests assessed included: (1) the Microtox solid-phase assay (MSPT), (2) the Biotox Flash solid-phase test (Flash), (3) the algal solid-phase assay (ASPA), and 4) the Ostracodtoxkit solid-phase assay. Data generated with these assays were compared with those obtained using the standard endobenthic amphipod (Hyalella azteca) bioassay. Bioanalytical comparisons indicated that all five solid-phase tests were useful in detecting the toxicity of oiled sediments; however, statistical analyses distinguished a difference in response between the invertebrate (amphipod and Ostracodtoxkit) and bacterial luminescence tests (MSPT and Flash). Based on these results, it is recommended that careful selection of biotests be made in the design of the test battery for assessment of residual oil sediment toxicity. Time-series toxicity data generated with ASPA indicated that oiled sediments in the freshwater wetlands of the St. Lawrence River remained toxic to phytoplankton for at least 65 weeks and that remediation treatment was able to accelerate detoxification by 16 weeks.
Centre Saint-Laurent, Environment Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 2E7, Canada. christian.blaise@ec.gc.ca
Christian
C
Blaise
François
F
Gagné
Nathalie
N
Chèvre
Manon
M
Harwood
Ken
K
Lee
Juha
J
Lappalainen
Belgis
B
Chial
Guido
G
Persoone
Ken
K
Doe
D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D003445:Crustacea / Q000187:drug effects; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D010578:Petroleum / Q000633:toxicity*; D010839:Phytoplankton; D011792:Quebec; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D045483:Rivers; D013997:Time Factors; D014733:Vibrio / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical