title: Comparison of sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) for the assessment of metal contamination in marine and estuarine environments.
abstract: Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) are an important tool for the assessment of contamination in marine and estuarine sediments. Although such guidelines are not definitive indicators of toxicity, they can have a high predictive ability and are a vital tool for identifying areas with potentially adverse biological effects. In the present study, 15 sets of common SQGs have been compared, including values for Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Norway, the Netherlands, the USA and regions within the USA (Puget Sound/Washington, New York and Florida). The majority of these SQGs are based on the weight-of-evidence approach. In particular, the sub-group of TEL/PEL-based values have a very high degree of comparability; values not belonging to this uniform group show substantial variations.
authors: Bournemouth University, School of Conservation Sciences, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, UK BH12 5BB. rhuebner@bournemouth.ac.uk
authors: Ralf
authors: R
authors: Hübner
authors: K Brian
authors: KB
authors: Astin
authors: Roger J H
authors: RJ
authors: Herbert
mesh_terms: D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005843:Geography; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals