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Cole, F.A., B.L. Boese, R.C. Swartz, J.O. Lamberson and T.H. DeWitt. 1999. Effect of sediment storage on the toxicity of sediments spiked with fluorathene to the amphipod Rhepoxynius abronius. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 19(3)744-748. NHEERL - COR-2304J
To determine the effect of storage on contaminant bioavailability and
toxicity, two sediments types, a fine sand and a silty sand, were spiked
with nine concentrations of fluoranthene (0.0-50 gm/dry kg) then stored at
4EC for up to 170d. Toxicity of the stored
sediment was determined eight times during this storage interval using
standard 10-d toxicity tests with the marine infaunal amphipod Rhepoxynius
abronius. The concentrations of fluoranthene in the sediment and
interstitial water were determined on samples taken on each test date. The
toxicity of fluoranthene in the silty sand was similar for all storage
times with LC50s ranging from 5.3 to 6.6 gm/g organic carbon (OC). The
LC50 in the fine sand was 7.4 mg/g OC after 13 d of storage, ranged from
10.2 to 11.8 mg/g OC during 27 to 83 d of storage, and increased to 24.2
and 27.6 mg/g OC after 121 and 170 d of storage, respectively. These data
indicate that the toxicity of both the fine and the silty sand remained
essentially constant during storage from days 27 to 83. Toxicity tests
conducted before or after that period may give misleading results because
of disequilibrium or unknown storage effects.