Vertical profiles of toxicity, organic carbon, and chemical contaminants in sediment cores from the palos verdes shelf and Santa Monica Bay, California

doi:10.1016/0141-1136(91)90012-W

Marine Environmental Research

Volume 31, Issue 3, 1991, Pages 215-225

https://doi.org/10.1016/0141-1136(91)90012-W Get rights and content

Abstract

The toxicity of sediment to the amphipod Rhepoxynius abronius was determined in the laboratory for 5 cm vertical sections of sediment cores collected at two sites on the Palos Verdes Shelf near the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts' municipal wastewater outfalls and at two reference sites in Santa Monica Bay, California. The vertical distribution of sediment toxicity near the outfalls was significantly correlated with profiles of total organic carbon and sediment chemical contamination (total oillgrease, p,p-DDE, PCBs [Aroclor 1242], di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, Cd, Cr, Pb). Dating of core horizons showed that sediment toxicity also was significantly correlated with the historic record of the mass emission rate of suspended solids from the outfalls. The vertical profile showed that toxicity of surficial sediments, increased after the initiation of the discharge in the 1950s, remained relatively high until the early 1970s, and then decreased after the implementation of source control and improved effluent treatment.

References (25)

R.J. Pruell et al.
Geochemistry of organic contaminants in Narragansett Bay sediments
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
(1985)
APHA
ASTM
Standard Guide for Conducting 10-Day Static Sediment Toxicity Tests with Marine and Estuarine Amphipods
W. Bascom et al.
An improved corer for soft sediments
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Biennial Report 1981-82 Long Beach, CA
(1982)
M.J. Charles et al.
Sediments as archives of environmental pollution trends
E.R. Christensen et al.
Historical fluxes of particle-bound pollutants from deconvolved sedimentary records
Environ. Sci. Technol.
(1987)
J. Cross
Fin erosion and epidermal tumors in demersal fish from southern California
R.P. Eaganhouse et al.
Depositional history of recent sediments from San Pedro Shelf, California: Reconstruction using elemental abundance, isotopic composition and molecular markers
Mar. Chemistry
(1988)
R.P. Eaganhouse et al.
Hydrocarbons in Southern California municipal wastes and their input to coastal waters
T.J. Hendricks
An advanced sediment quality model

T.J. Hendricks

Predicting sediment quality around outfalls

G.P. Hershelman et al.

Metals in marine sediments near a large California municipal outfall

Mar. Poll. Bull.

(1981)

Cited by (24)

Ecotoxicological impact assessment of heavy metals in core sediments of a tropical estuary
2010, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Citation Excerpt :
Coastal and estuarine region are the important region for many persistent pollutants and they accumulate in organisms and bottom sediments (Szefer et al., 1995). The study of dated sediment profile from industrialized estuaries is indeed a valuable tool for sediment quality assessment (Viguri et al., 2007; Schwartz et al., 1991; Grant and Briggs, 2002; White et al., 2005). Sediment core contain information about the events that occurred in precultural time in the lakes and its catchments area.
Down core variation of heavy metals in three sediment cores from Cochin estuary was studied. The average concentration of iron, manganese, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and mercury in each slices of sediment was determined. Quality of the sediments were evaluated based on sediment quality guidelines, pollution load index, and sum of toxic units and with effect range low/effect range median and threshold effect level/probable effect level values of environmental protection agency guidelines. The degree of contamination for each station was determined. The results of the study revealed higher concentration of heavy metals in surface layers than in deeper ones. The concentration of heavy metals in some stations exceeded the effect range median levels, which represents a probable effect range with in which adverse biological effects frequently occur. The spatial variation of heavy metals showed more contamination in the downstream at Pathalam industrial site. Statistical analysis showed that the correlation among different parameters differs with respect to stations. The present study highlighted severe heavy metal contamination of Cochin estuary with increased rate of deposition.
Physico-chemical and toxicological characterization of the historic estuarine sediments: A multidisciplinary approach
2007, Environment International
The accumulation rates, the geochronology of metals and PAH contamination, and the Microtox^® toxicity are studied in five sediment cores (50 cm length) covering different areas of the Santander Bay, Northern Spain. Chronology given by ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs reveals significant differences in accumulation rates between sites (0.2–1.1 cm/year), as well as a variable degree of anthropogenic enrichment factors for Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni (from 1 to 15) and concentrations of ∑16PAHs (from 0.01 to 23.84 mg/kg dw) in sediments over the last 90 years. The results indicate the increasing contamination pressure from industrial and urban activities along the Bay. No toxic results from the Microtox^® test are obtained either with pore water or with normalised sediment aqueous extracts (European Norm EN 12457), suggesting low water solubility and low availability of contaminants in the studied sediments. However, the EC50 values from the Microtox^® Basic Solid Phase Test (BSPT) ranged from 0.03% to 2.35%, showing vertical toxicity profiles in accordance with metal and PAHs behaviour. The correlation degrees of Microtox^® BSPT toxicity to chemical concentration in sediment profiles are widely variable showing a high site-dependent toxicity. The oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri has been used as a chronic bioassay over surface sediments of two of the studied sites, showing results coherent with the Microtox^® BSPT acute test results. Global results of the present work provide regional geochemical baselines for metals and PAHs and toxicological data now make it possible to obtain a preliminary quality assessment of the Santander Bay sediment profiles.
Lac Dufault sediment core trace metal distribution, bioavailability and toxicity to Hyalella azteca
2006, Environmental Pollution
Citation Excerpt :
Stemmer et al. (1990) observed that both microbial enzyme activity and survival of the cladocerans Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia were highest in the less contaminated surface sediment layers (0–5 cm) and decreased with depth (6–10 cm) in river sediment cores contaminated with PAHs and metals. Swartz et al. (1991), using the marine amphipod Rhepoxynius abronius, were able to document the temporal discharge of contaminants and the efficiency of industrial waste control programs. Mortality was low at the surface, increased with sediment depth (5–20 cm), remained relatively high in deeper sediments (20–35 cm), decreased in the deepest sediments (35–50 cm), and was significantly correlated with concentrations of both contaminants and organic matter.
To determine changes in metal distribution, bioavailability and toxicity with sediment depth, two 20-cm-long replicate cores were collected from a lake historically subjected to the influence of metal mining and smelting activity. The vertical distribution of Pb, Cd and Cu in sediment was similar for all three metals, with the surface layers showing enrichment and the deeper (pre-industrial) layers showing lower concentrations. Toxicity of each sediment core section was determined in laboratory tests with the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca. Bioavailable metal in each sediment slice was estimated from metal concentrations in overlying water in these toxicity tests and, for Cd, also from metal bioaccumulation. The profile for Cd in tissue was comparable to Cd in sediment and overlying water, but relative Cd bioavailability from sediment increased with sediment depth. Survival increased with increasing sediment depth, suggesting that surface sediments were probably less or non-toxic before industrialization.
Toxicity assessment of sediment cores from Santa Monica Bay, California
2003, Marine Environmental Research
Citation Excerpt :
By testing the toxicity of different sections of a vertical sediment core, we can get a view of toxicity back through time at a given location. A coring study conducted near the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County's wastewater outfall was successful in documenting changes in both sediment chemistry and toxicity over time (Swartz, Schults, Lamberson, Ozretich, & Stull, 1991). In June 1997, a multidisciplinary study of temporal trends in the sediments of Santa Monica Bay was initiated.
During the summer of 1997, sediment core samples were taken at 25 stations in Santa Monica Bay. Toxicity testing was performed on 4-cm sections of the entire length of each core using purple sea urchin fertilization and amphipod survival tests. The sea urchin test identified sections as being toxic at six stations, all located near current or former Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP) wastewater outfall locations. The amphipod test identified sections from 17 stations as having toxic sediments. The stations having toxic sediments were scattered throughout the bay and toxicity was identified at numerous core depths. Spatial and temporal patterns indicated that toxicity was most strongly associated with the historical disposal of municipal wastewater sludge. Many of the sections toxic to the amphipods did not have chemical levels expected to cause toxicity and were in locations where a source of toxicity was not apparent.
Dispersion of sediment DDTs in the coastal ocean off southern California
1999, Science of the Total Environment
The masses of DDT compounds (DDTs) in surface sediments of the Palos Verdes Shelf (PVS) and Santa Monica Bay (SMB) have declined over the last two decades, following the ban on DDT production in 1970. This mass reduction could result from a number of biological and physical processes, including biodegradation and/or dispersal away from the sites. We integrated existing data with our new data of DDTs from different compartments in the coastal zones off southern California to assess the importance of the dispersal mechanism. The synthesis of the data indicated that: (1) historically deposited DDTs have been remobilized upward in the sediment column; (2) DDTs have been resuspended into the water column; and (3) sewage-derived DDTs have been redeposited into distant areas. Resuspension of DDTs from contaminated sediments was evident from the close correlation between the DDT concentrations in the water column and surface sediment at three locations with different DDT levels. The current distribution patterns for linear alkylbenzenes and DDTs in surface sediments at SMB were also suggestive of dispersal of DDTs. The distribution of DDTs in the surface sediments exhibiting a gradient from the outfalls to offshore and the general spatial distribution pattern in the basins precluded the possibility of either aerial fallout or surface runoff as being an important source of DDTs. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that resuspended DDTs in the discharge zones are being dispersed to distant areas. The percent of DDEs in total DDTs was uniformly high (∼90%) in the PVS and SMB sediments, but varied widely in sediments of the Santa Monica and San Pedro Basins. The percent DDEs were particularly low (as low as 10%) in certain subsurface sections of the sediments near two dumpsites containing DDT wastes (from prior to 1970) comprising of low proportions of DDE. However, the top-layers of the basin sediments contained DDT residues with high %DDEs similar to that of sediments on the PVS, suggesting a common source from the historic DDTs in the wastewater discharges. The available data is insufficient to confirm the possibility of anaerobic degradation of DDEs in the sediment cores investigated which could also result in the mass reduction of DDTs in the post-1970 sediments.
Heavy metal chronologies in selected coastal wetlands from Northern Europe
1998, Marine Pollution Bulletin
Sediment cores were collected from five coastal wetlands in England, the Netherlands, and Poland, and samples analysed for heavy metal concentrations. Depth profiles of metal concentrations were converted to time-based profiles, using vertical accretion rates obtained from ¹³⁷Cs dating. Chronologies of metal concentrations from the two cores (high and low marsh) at each site showed good agreement, indicating that sediment profiles represent historical inputs of metals. Sediment metal concentrations showed that some of the areas are highly polluted, with peak sediment concentrations up to five times greater than in the oldest sediment samples (1890s to 1900s). Chronologies indicated different pollution histories for the five areas. Local hydrology appeared to be important in affecting metal accumulation. Metal concentrations have recently decreased in the cores from St. Annaland Marsh (the Netherlands) and Stiffkey Marsh (UK). Levels of metals from the Oder River remained high throughout the upper part of the cores.

View all citing articles on Scopus

View full text

Vertical profiles of toxicity, organic carbon, and chemical contaminants in sediment cores from the palos verdes shelf and Santa Monica Bay, California

Abstract

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

Standard Guide for Conducting 10-Day Static Sediment Toxicity Tests with Marine and Estuarine Amphipods

An improved corer for soft sediments

Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Biennial Report 1981-82 Long Beach, CA

Sediments as archives of environmental pollution trends

Historical fluxes of particle-bound pollutants from deconvolved sedimentary records

Environ. Sci. Technol.

Fin erosion and epidermal tumors in demersal fish from southern California

Depositional history of recent sediments from San Pedro Shelf, California: Reconstruction using elemental abundance, isotopic composition and molecular markers

Mar. Chemistry

Hydrocarbons in Southern California municipal wastes and their input to coastal waters

An advanced sediment quality model

Predicting sediment quality around outfalls

Metals in marine sediments near a large California municipal outfall

Mar. Poll. Bull.