Development of water quality criteria of ammonia for protecting aquatic life in freshwater using species sensitivity distribution method

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2018-09, Vol.634, p.934-940
• Main Authors: Park, Tae-Jin, Lee, Jong-Hyeon, Lee, Myung-Sung, Park, Chang-Hee, Lee, Chang-Hoon, Moon, Seong-Dae, Chung, Jiwoong, Cui, Rongxue, An, Youn-Joo, Yeom, Dong-Hyuk, Lee, Soo-Hyung, Lee, Jae-Kwan, Zoh, Kyung-Duk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic life; Ecological risk assessment; HC5 value; Species sensitivity distribution; Total ammonia nitrogen; Water quality criteria
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.018

Ammonia is deemed one of the most important pollutants in the freshwater environment because of its highly toxic nature and ubiquity in surface water. This study thus aims to derive the criteria for ammonia in freshwater to protect aquatic life because there are no water quality criteria for ammonia in Korea. Short-term lethal tests were conducted to perform the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method. This method is widely used in ecological risk assessment to determine the chemical concentrations to protect aquatic species. Based on the species sensitivity distribution method using Korean indigenous aquatic biota, the hazardous concentration for 5% of biological species (HC5) value calculated in this study was 44mg/L as total ammonia nitrogen (TAN). The value of the assessment factor was set at 2. Consequently, the criteria for ammonia were derived as 22mg/L at pH7 and 20°C. When the derived value was applied to the monitoring data nationwide, 0.51%, 0.09%, 0.18%, 0.20%, and 0.35% of the monitoring sites in Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River, Youngsan River, and lakes throughout the nation, respectively, exceeded this criteria. The Ministry of Environment in Korea has been considering introducing water quality standard of ammonia for protecting aquatic life. Therefore, our results can provide the basis for introducing the ammonia standard in Korea. [Display omitted] •The species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method was used for ammonia guideline.•Acanthocyclops vernalis and Daphnia galeata were the most sensitive in the SSD.•The guideline for ammonia was found to be 22mg/L at pH7 and 20°C.•0.09–0.51% of monitoring data in rivers and lakes in Korea exceeded this guideline.•Our results can provide the basis for introducing the ammonia standard in Korea.