ALBERT

Notes: Abstract Two hundred and forty-six sediment samples from Newark Bay, New Jersey and its tributaries (the Passaic River, Hackensack River, Kill van Kull, and Arthur Kill and its tributaries, the Elizabeth River and Rahway River) were assayed for commercial Aroclor® mixtures and non-ortho and mono-ortho coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) between 1990 and 1993. In addition, chronological profiles of PCBs in sediments from pre-1940 to the present were determined using radioisotope activities of 210Pb and 137Cs. The objectives of this study were to (a) determine the spatial and temporal distributions of PCBs in sediments, (b) identify their possible sources, and (c) evaluate the potential for sediment toxicity within the Newark Bay Estuary. Aroclors® 1248 and 1254 were detected in surface and buried sediments in each waterway. The highest concentrations occurred primarily in buried sediments from the Passaic River and Newark Bay at depths corresponding to historical deposition during the 1960s and 1970s, the peak manufacturing period for Aroclors®. In surface sediments, the highest concentrations were measured in the Passaic River, Rahway River, Kill Van Kull, and ship berths at Port Elizabeth and Port Newark in Newark Bay. Coplanar PCBs were detected throughout the estuary at much lower concentrations than the Aroclors. Results from the Passaic River indicate that the lower reach is contaminated with relatively high levels of PCBs, in part due to a relatively high depositional environment and the accumulation of PCB-contaminated sediments from local and upstream sources. Comparisons to available benchmark sediment quality values and calculated toxicity equivalent concentrations raise a concern that Aroclors® 1248 and 1254 and coplanar PCBs, respectively, may adversely effect aquatic organisms in the estuary.

Notes: Abstract Two hundred and forty-six surface and buried sediment samples from Newark Bay, New Jersey, and its major tributaries (Passaic River, Hackensack River, Newark Bay, Arthur Kill, Elizabeth River, and Kill Van Kull) were assayed for p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p′-DDT), p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p′-DDD), and p,p′-dichlorodiphenylchloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) between February 1990 and March 1993. Chronological profiles in sediments from pre-1940 to the present were determined by radioisotope activities of 210Pb and 137Cs. The concentrations of these chemicals were compared to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) benchmark sediment values (Long and Morgan 1991). The objectives were to (a) determine the spatial and temporal distributions of DDT compounds in sediments, (b) identify possible sources, and (c) assess the potential for sediment toxicity within the estuary. Mean concentrations in surface sediments in individual waterways ranged from 5 to 473 μg/kg for p,p′-DDT, 18 to 429 μg/kg for p,p′-DDD, and 5 to 111 μg/kg for p,p′-DDE. A regional background mean concentration of approximately 100–300 μg/kg Σp,p′-DDT (sum of p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDD, and p,p′-DDE) was measured in surface sediments throughout the estuary, with the exception of the Arthur Kill, where mean concentrations exceeded 700 μg/kg. The elevated concentrations found in recently deposited surface sediments in the Arthur Kill may be due to the presence of ongoing sources. The highest concentrations in buried sediments occurred in the lower Passaic River at depths corresponding to historical deposits from 1940 to 1970, the peak time period for production and usage of DDT in the United States. Comparisons to NOAA benchmark sediment toxicity values indicate that p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDD, and p,p′-DDE concentrations in surface sediments may pose a potential hazard to fish, shellfish, and other benthic and demersal organisms in some portions of the estuary, particularly in the upper and lower Arthur Kill.

Notes: Abstract The presence of numerous industrial and municipal sources such as former creosote wood preserving facilities, petroleum storage and refinery facilities, paint and chemical manufacturers, combined sewer overflows, and sewage treatment facilities along the shores of Newark Bay, New Jersey and its major tributaries suggests the potential for widespread contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and petroleum hydrocarbons. In this study, the concentrations and distributions of 19 PAHs and total extractable petroleum hydrocarbon (TEPH) were determined in 213 sediment samples obtained from 58 sediment cores collected between November 1991 and March 1993 from the Arthur Kill, Elizabeth River, Hackensack River, Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, Upper New York Bay, and Rahway River. Chronological profiles of PAH and TEPH deposition from pre-1930 to the present were determined in each sediment core using 137Cs and 210Pb radioisotope measurements. The concentrations of total PAHs (tPAH) and individual PAHs were compared to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) benchmark sediment effects-range median (ER-M) values. The objectives of this study were to: (a) determine the spatial and temporal distributions of PAHs in sediments; (b) identify their possible sources; and (c) assess the potential for sediment toxicity within the estuary. The results indicate elevated concentrations of PAHs and TEPH in surface and buried sediments throughout the estuary, particularly in the Elizabeth River, the Arthur Kill, and in the Passaic River above the Dundee Dam and below the Jackson Street Bridge. Sediments collected from ship berths at Port Newark and Port Elizabeth in Newark Bay were also found to contain elevated levels of PAHs and TEPH. The concentrations of PAHs and TEPH in sediment generally increase with depth throughout the estuary. Comparisons to NOAA ER-M values indicate that the concentrations of many PAHs in surface and buried sediments at several locations in the estuary pose a significant hazard to aquatic organisms. Radiodating of sediment cores reveals that the highest concentrations of PAHs, and the greatest potential hazards to aquatic biota, occur in sediments deposited during the 1950s. Although the major inputs of PAHs are probably combustion sources and urban runoff entering the estuary through combined sewer overflows and storm drains, the unusually high concentrations of PAHs and TEPH found in some sediments may be best explained by point source inputs or catastrophic oil spills.

Notes: Abstract. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analyzed in storm water collected from 15 outfalls in San Francisco Bay, California, considered representative of areas located adjacent to petroleum refineries and mixed urban/commercial/residential land uses. Storm water sampling was conducted hourly over a 12-h period at two outfalls located near the city of Oakland and the suburban community of Benicia, which represent urban and mixed urban/light industrial land uses, respectively. Sampling was conducted hourly to determine temporal changes in the concentrations and distributions of PCDD/Fs during the first major rainstorm event of the 1995/96 winter season. In addition, storm water sampling was conducted in December 1995 and February/April 1996 at six publicly owned treatment work (POTW) outfalls located adjacent to developed, undeveloped, mixed residential/commercial, and industrial lands. Storm water sampling also was conducted at five outfalls located adjacent to petroleum refineries. The sampling results were used to examine changes in PCDD/F loadings to San Francisco Bay at the onset and midway through the winter rainy season and to characterize differences in PCDD/F concentrations, if any, between refinery and nonrefinery areas. The concentrations of tetra- through octa-chlorinated homologues and 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners were assayed in filtered storm water samples according to US EPA Method 1613A. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used as an exploratory technique to examine the similarities and differences in the distributions of PCDD/Fs in storm water from different outfalls. The sampling results showed few significant differences between storm water discharged from outfalls located in mixed urban/commercial/residential areas and outfalls located adjacent to petroleum refineries. The concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDD were below the analytical limits of detection in all storm water samples, with the exception of samples collected after the sixth hour of sampling at the Oakland outfall. Fingerprint patterns were generally dominated by the higher chlorinated PCDD/F congeners including OCDD, OCDF, and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD. Total TEQs were generally below US EPA ambient water quality criteria and aquatic ecotoxicology guideline values. The results of this study strongly suggest that discrete sampling of storm water outfalls is insufficient to characterize the concentrations and distributions of persistent hydrophobic contaminants such as PCDD/Fs. In addition to surface water runoff from the city of Oakland, other nonindustrialized urban locations may represent important sources of PCDD/Fs to San Francisco Bay.

Notes: Abstract. A site-specific evaluation of mercury toxicity was conducted for sediments of the Calcasieu River estuary (Louisiana, USA). Ten-day whole-sediment toxicity tests assessed survival and growth (dry weight) of the amphipods Hyalella azteca and Leptocheirus plumulosus under estuarine conditions (10 ppt salinity). A total of 32 sediment samples were tested for toxicity, including 14 undiluted site sediment samples and 6 sediment dilution series. All sediment samples were analyzed for total mercury and numerous other chemical parameters, including acid volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM). No toxicity attributable to mercury was observed, indicating that a site-specific threshold for total mercury toxicity to amphipods exceeds 4.1 mg/kg dry weight. Site-specific factors that may limit mercury bioavailability and toxicity include relatively high sulfide levels. Additionally, the chemical extractability of mercury in site sediments is low, as indicated by SEM mercury analyses for three sediment samples containing a range of total mercury concentrations.

Notes: Abstract There are currently few proposed sediment quality guidelines and no promulgated regulatory criteria for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in sediments. Among the eight major approaches used to develop sediment quality guidelines, only three have been used to date in developing proposed guidelines for TCDD: the background method, the equilibrium partitioning (EqP) method, and the tissue-residue based (TRB) method. At present, nineteen proposed sediment quality guidelines for TCDD have been proposed in the U.S. and other countries, including seven derived exclusively for the protection of human health, seven derived exclusively for the protection of aquatic organisms and/or wildlife, and five that were derived for the protection of both human and ecological receptors. In this paper, the technical basis and proposed regulatory objectives of these guidelines were evaluated in an effort to assess the feasibility of deriving a national sediment quality guideline for TCDD. Guidelines derived from the background method inferred that TCDD concentrations in sediments should not exceed the detection limit (1 to 10 parts per trillion; pg/g) of the currently accepted high resolution gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analytical method, and for one guideline, an outdated analytical detection limit of 1,000 parts per trillion. Guidelines developed by the EqP and TRB methods varied over several orders of magnitude (0.014 to 210 parts per trillion, dry weight basis; and 200 to 1×107 pg/gOC). These large variations are the result of data gaps in our knowledge of TCDD toxicity, and the physical and chemical parameters that govern its fate and transport in aquatic systems.