title: Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediment.
abstract: High concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in streams can be a significant stressor to aquatic organisms. To understand the likely sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streams, streambed sediment samples from 40 sites and parking lot dust samples from 6 sites were analyzed for 38 parent PAHs and 25 alkylated PAHs. Diagnostic ratios, profile correlations, principal components analysis, source-receptor modeling, and mass fractions analysis were used to identify potential PAH sources to streambed sediment samples, and land-use analysis was used to relate streambed sediment PAH concentrations to different urban-related land uses. On the basis of this multiple lines-of-evidence approach, coal-tar pavement sealant was indicated as the primary source of PAHs in a majority of streambed sediment samples, contributing an estimated 77% of total PAHs to samples, on average. Comparison with the probable effect concentrations and (or) the equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmark indicates that 78% of stream sediment samples are likely to cause adverse effects to benthic organisms. Laboratory toxicity tests on a 16-sample subset of the streambed sites using the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28-d) and the midge Chironomus dilutus (10-d) measured significant reductions in 1 or more biological endpoints, including survival, in 75% of samples, with H. azteca more responsive than C. dilutus. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1622-1635. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
authors.affiliation: US Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Austin K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.affiliation: US Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.affiliation: US Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.affiliation: US Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ingersoll
authors.affiliation: US Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dorman
authors.affiliation: Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magruder
authors.affiliation: Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magruder
mesh_terms: D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002683:Chironomidae / Q000187:drug effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D045483:Rivers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D014922:Wisconsin
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Coal-tar pavement sealant; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Sediment toxicity; Storm water runoff