Ecotoxicologically based marine acute water quality criteria for metals intended for protection of coastal areas

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2013-10, Vol.463-464, p.446-453
• Main Authors: Durán, I., Beiras, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute water quality criteria; Animals; Aquatic Organisms - drug effects; Cadmium - analysis; Cadmium - toxicity; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Copper - analysis; Copper - toxicity; Ecotoxicology - methods; Ecotoxicology - standards; Lead - analysis; Lead - toxicity; Marine species; Mercury - analysis; Mercury - toxicity; Metals - toxicity; Seawater - chemistry; Species sensitivity distribution; Trace metals; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water Quality - standards; Zinc - analysis; Zinc - toxicity
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.05.077

Acute water quality criteria (WQC) for the protection of coastal ecosystems are developed on the basis of short-term ecotoxicological data using the most sensitive life stages of representative species from the main taxa of marine water column organisms. A probabilistic approach based on species sensitivity distribution (SSD) curves has been chosen and compared to the WQC obtained applying an assessment factor to the critical toxicity values, i.e. the ‘deterministic’ approach. The criteria obtained from HC5 values (5th percentile of the SSD) were 1.01μg/l for Hg, 1.39μg/l for Cu, 3.83μg/l for Cd, 25.3μg/l for Pb and 8.24μg/l for Zn. Using sensitive early life stages and very sensitive endpoints allowed calculation of WQC for marine coastal ecosystems. These probabilistic WQC, intended to protect 95% of the species in 95% of the cases, were calculated on the basis of a limited ecotoxicological dataset, avoiding the use of large and uncertain assessment factors. [Display omitted] •Water quality criteria are derived based on ecotoxicological data from marine species.•Marine acute water quality criteria are presented for Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn.•Data from bioassays with early life-stages of species from the main taxa were used.•Water quality criteria are derived using species sensitivity distributions.