References

Di Toro, D.M., J.A. McGrath, D.J. Hansen. 2000. Technical basis for narcotic chemicals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon criteria. II. Mixtures and sediments. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 19:1971-1982.

Field, L.J., D.D. MacDonald, S.B. Norton, C.G. Ingersoll, C.G. Severn, et al. 2002. Predicting amphipod toxicity from sediment chemistry using logistic regression models. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 21:1993-2005.

Long, E.R., D.D. MacDonald, S.L. Smith, and F.D. Calder. 1995. Incidence of adverse biological effects within ranges of chemical concentrations in marine and estuarine sediments. Environ. Mgmt. 19(1):81-97.

Swartz, R.C., D.W. Schults, R.J. Ozretich, J.O. Lamberson, F.A. Cole, T.H. DeWitt, M.S. Redmond, S.P. Ferraro. 1995. PAH: A model to predict the toxicity of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures in field-collected sediments. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 14:1977-1987.

Van den Berg, M., L. Birnbaum, A.T.C. Bosveld, B. Brunstrom, P. Cook, M. Freely, J.P. Giesy,A. Hanberg, R. Hasegawa, S.W. Kennedy, T. Kubiak, J.C. Larsen, F.X.R van Leeuwen, A.K. Djien Liem, C. Nolt, R.E. Peterson, L. Poellinger, S. Safe, D. Schrenk, D. Tillitt, M. Tysklind, M. Younes, F. Waern, and T. Zacharewski. 1998. Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for PCBs, PCDDs, PCDFs for humans and wildlife. Environ. Health Perspectives 106(12):775-792.

Calculations

Sediment Quality Guidelines

Sediments comprise an important component of aquatic ecosystems because they provide habitat for a wide range of benthic and epibenthic organisms. Organism exposure to contaminants via their immediate interactions with bed sediments can represent a potential hazard to organism health. Although EPA has established Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) for water, there are no comparable national criteria or standards for chemical concentrations in sediment. Therefore, sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) have been developed to support protection and management strategies for freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems.

SQGs can be used as screening values to determine if the contaminant of concern may or may not be present at toxic levels. SQGs also can facilitate decision-making during site investigations, remediation, handling, and disposal of contaminated sediments. These values can be used to help prioritize the level of potential adverse effects of contaminated sediments for optimal allocation of subsequent sediment assessment activities. It is important to understand that all screening guidelines are surrogate predictors of sediment toxicity, and are therefore less reliable than direct measurements of the actual toxicity. SQGs should be used as scientific tools to synthesize information regarding the relationships between sediment concentrations of chemicals and any adverse biological effects resulting from exposure to these chemicals.

For more information:

• Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines
• EPA Contaminated Sediment
• EPA National Sediment Inventory, Appendix D - Screening Values for Chemicals Evaluated (pdf)
• 1994 Florida Sediment Quality Assessment Guidelines (SQAGs)
• New York State Technical Guidance for Screening Contaminated Sediments (pdf)
• NOAA/NOS/OR&R National Status and Trends Sediment Quality Guidelines (pdf)
• NOAA/NOS/SPO National Status and Trends Program - Sediment Quality Guidelines
• NOAA Screening Quick Reference Tables, or SQuiRTs
• SETAC Use of Sediment Quality Guidelines and Related Tools for the Assessment of Contaminated Sediments: Executive Summary Booklet of a SETAC Pellston Workshop (pdf)
• USGS Prediction of Sediment Toxicity using Consensus-based Freshwater Sediment Quality Guidelines (pdf)
• USGS Sediment Effect Concentrations
• Washington State Sediment Quality Chemical Criteria