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Short‐ and long‐term sediment toxicity test methods with the amphipod Grandidierella japonica
Author(s) -
Nipper Marion G.,
Greenstein Darrin J.,
Bay Steven M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620081212
Subject(s) - amphipoda , sediment , outfall , environmental science , seawater , toxicity , water pollution , contamination , crustacean , environmental chemistry , biology , toxicology , ecology , environmental engineering , chemistry , paleontology , organic chemistry
Methods are described for conducting flow‐through sediment toxicity tests with the marine amphipod Grandidierella japonica. Short‐term (10‐d) exposures were conducted at 15°C in 1‐liter beakers containing a 2‐cm layer of sediment and 700 ml overlying seawater. Long‐term (28‐d) tests were conducted in 1‐liter beakers at 19°C with the weekly addition of food to the test chambers. Both methods were used to measure the toxicity of sediments from five locations in southern California. These sites included highly contaminated areas adjacent to large municipal wastewater outfalls and within industrialized harbors. Both test methods were sensitive to levels of contamination found in the field, but produced different patterns of effects. Short‐term mortality was greatest in amphipods exposed to the harbor sediments, while long‐term exposure produced the greatest reductions in survival and growth at the Los Angeles County Outfall site. Amphipod survival was unaffected by variations in sediment grain size, while this characteristic appeared to have an important effect on growth.