Water quality criteria and ecological risk assessment for copper in Liaodong Bay, China

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2022-12, Vol.185, p.114164, Article 114164
• Main Authors: Zhu, Yun-jie, Zhu, Xiao-yan, Xu, Qiu-jin, Qian, Yan-hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Copper; Ecological risk assessment; Liaodong Bay; WQC
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114164

The establishment of water quality criteria (WQC) for copper (Cu) was used as the basis for an ecological risk assessment of marine Cu pollution in Liaodong Bay, China. Published ecotoxicity data for Cu were obtained and supplemented with the results of acute Cu toxicity tests. The marine WQC for Cu in Liaodong Bay was developed using a species sensitivity distribution method with a safety factor of 2.0 and the USEPA acute-to-chronic ratio method. The ecological risk of Cu in Liaodong Bay was assessed by comparing the seawater Cu concentrations with the developed WQC. The results of this study showed that the acute and chronic Cu concentrations in Liaodong Bay were 3.31 and 2.18 μg/L, respectively. Comparison of the WQC to Cu concentrations in the bay resulted in risk quotients slightly >1.0 and typically ≤2.0. These data suggest that certain organisms in Liaodong Bay are at risk. These results can assist in the development of a pollution control management approach for the bay. •Use SSD method and the FACR method to derive the sea WQCs of copper in Liaodong Bay•Use the RQ method and overlapping area method to assess the ecological risk of copper in Liaodong Bay•The SWQC and LWQC for copper in Liaodong Bay were 3.31 and 2.18 μg/L.•The ecological environmental risk of copper to aquatic species in Liaodong Bay showed an overall increasing trend.