Towards a scheme of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for the acute toxicity of PAHs in sediment

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2011-11, Vol.74 (8), p.2245-2251
• Main Authors: Fisher, Tom T., Law, Robin J., Rumney, Heather S., Kirby, Mark F., Kelly, Carole
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute toxicity; Amphipoda - drug effects; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Benzo(a)pyrene - toxicity; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay; carcinogenicity; Carcinogens - toxicity; Corophium volutator; ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Monitoring - standards; Equivalence; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Indicators; Marine; molecular weight; Phenanthrene; Phenanthrenes - toxicity; Polyallylamine hydrochloride; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - standards; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Risk Assessment; Sediment; Sediments; Toxic; Toxic equivalency factors/quotients (TEF/TEQ); Toxicity; Toxicity Tests - methods; Toxicity Tests - standards; Toxicology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - standards; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2011.07.023

Toxic equivalency factors/quotients (TEF/TEQs) express the toxicity of complex mixtures. For PAHs, TEF values are available for assessing their carcinogenic potential and are expressed as benzo[ a]pyrene equivalents. This study develops a similar approach for their acute toxicity in sediments. Acute toxicity (10 day EC 50) values were generated using the marine amphipod Corophium volutator bioassay for twelve low molecular weight PAHs. The results ranged from 24 to >1000 mg/Kg sediment dry weight for 4-methyldibenzothiophene and anthracene, respectively. Phenanthrene was used as the reference compound (TEF=1) and so the TEQ values derived are expressed as phenanthrene equivalents. In order to illustrate the applicability of this approach to the development of marine indicators we plotted TEQ values for acute toxicity to UK environmental monitoring data. Further work is required to validate the TEF values produced and to extend the TEQ approach to include a wider range of low molecular weight PAHs. ► The tested low molecular weight PAHs cause acute toxicity to Corophium volutator. ► LC 50 values were determined over a ten day exposure period. ► TEF values were generated for 2 dredge disposal sites in the UK.