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Contaminants in Stream Sediments From Seven United States Metropolitan Areas: Part II—Sediment Toxicity to the Amphipod Hyalella azteca and the Midge Chironomus dilutus

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Abstract

Relationships between sediment toxicity and sediment chemistry were evaluated for 98 samples collected from seven metropolitan study areas across the United States. Sediment-toxicity tests were conducted with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28 day exposures) and with the midge Chironomus dilutus (10 day exposures). Overall, 33 % of the samples were toxic to amphipods and 12 % of the samples were toxic to midge based on comparisons with reference conditions within each study area. Significant correlations were observed between toxicity end points and sediment concentrations of trace elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or organochlorine (OC) pesticides; however, these correlations were typically weak, and contaminant concentrations were usually below sediment-toxicity thresholds. Concentrations of the pyrethroid bifenthrin exceeded an estimated threshold of 0.49 ng/g (at 1 % total organic carbon) in 14 % of the samples. Of the samples that exceeded this bifenthrin toxicity threshold, 79 % were toxic to amphipods compared with 25 % toxicity for the samples below this threshold. Application of mean probable effect concentration quotients (PECQs) based on measures of groups of contaminants (trace elements, total PAHs, total PCBs, OC pesticides, and pyrethroid pesticides [bifenthrin in particular]) improved the correct classification of samples as toxic or not toxic to amphipods compared with measures of individual groups of contaminants.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Eric Brunson, Eugene Greer, Jamie Hughes, Chris Ivey, and Dave Whites for technical assistance in conducting the toxicity tests. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States Government. This study was a joint effort of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program, the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, and the USGS Environmental Health Program. This manuscript has been reviewed in accordance with USGS policy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA

    Nile E. Kemble, Douglas K. Hardesty, Christopher G. Ingersoll & James L. Kunz

  2. University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada

    Paul K. Sibley

  3. Georgia Water Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Daniel L. Calhoun

  4. California Water Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Robert J. Gilliom, Kathryn M. Kuivila & Lisa H. Nowell

  5. Washington Water Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Tacoma, WA, USA

    Patrick W. Moran

Authors
  1. Nile E. Kemble
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  2. Douglas K. Hardesty
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  3. Christopher G. Ingersoll
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  4. James L. Kunz
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  5. Paul K. Sibley
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  6. Daniel L. Calhoun
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  7. Robert J. Gilliom
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  8. Kathryn M. Kuivila
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  9. Lisa H. Nowell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nile E. Kemble.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

244_2012_9815_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Details on sediment toxicity testing methods (Table S1) and supporting toxicity data (Tables S2, S3) are provided. (PDF 82 kb).

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Kemble, N.E., Hardesty, D.K., Ingersoll, C.G. et al. Contaminants in Stream Sediments From Seven United States Metropolitan Areas: Part II—Sediment Toxicity to the Amphipod Hyalella azteca and the Midge Chironomus dilutus . Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 64, 52–64 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9815-y

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