Laboratory sediment bioassay report on upper St. Clair River sediments in the vicinity of industrial point sources, 1994 and 1995 PDF
Preview Laboratory sediment bioassay report on upper St. Clair River sediments in the vicinity of industrial point sources, 1994 and 1995
s REMEDIAL ACTION PLAN 1 Laboratory Sediment Bioassay Report on Upper St. Clair River Sediments in the Vicinity of Industrial Point Sources a - 1994 & 1995 TD 223.4 057 u Remedial Action Plan U66 rh Plan 'assainiss2ent I B44 A N c.2 .:OJ.L v a as ,.Canada ® Ontario Copyright Provisions and Restrictions on Copying: This Ontario Ministry of the Environment work is protected by Crown copyright (unless otherwise indicated), which is held by the Queen's Printer for Ontario. It may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes if credit is given and Crown copyright is acknowledged. It may not be reproduced, in all or in part, for any commercial purpose except under a licence from the Queen's Printer for Ontario. For information on reproducing Government of Ontario works, please contact ServiceOntario Publications at copyright aontario.ca t ISBN 0-7778-6039-2 f LABORATORY SEDIMENT BIOASSAY REPORT t ON UPPER ST. CLAIR RIVER SEDIMENTS IN THE VICINITY OF INDUSTRIAL POINT SOURCES 1994 & 1995 1 I FEBRUARY 1997 Cette publication technique nest disponible qu'en anglais. 1 Copyright: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1997 This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution. 1 1 I 1 1 t t LABORATORY SEDIMENT BIOASSAY REPORT f ON UPPER ST. CLAIR RIVER SEDIMENTS IN THE VICINITY OF INDUSTRIAL POINT SOURCES 1994 & 1995 I Prepared by: D. Bedard and S. Petro Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy Standards Development Branch 125 Resources Road r Etobicoke, Ontario Prepared for: t P. Kauss Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch f FEBRUARY 1997 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS t The authors wish to thank Mark Whelley, Christy Hoeptig and Cindy Pammer for their valuable technical assistance in conducting the laboratory sediment bioassays. The authors gratefully acknowledge the staff of the OMOEE Laboratory Services Branch for providing chemical analysis of the sediment and biota samples. Special thanks to the following OMOEE staff for their helpful review comments, Peter Kauss and Rein Jaagumagi, Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch, and Keith Somers, Science and Technology Branch. A i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Sediments in the upper St. Clair River were sampled in spring 1994, fall 1994 and spring 1995, as part of an assessment in characterizing the potential ecological impacts of contaminated sediments for this Area of Concern. A total of 39 sites were collected along 13 transects in the vicinity of ESSO (Imperial Oil), the Cole Drain, Polysar Rubber Corporation and Dow Chemical Canada Inc., near Sarnia, Ontario. Sediments in this area are known to contain numerous organic compounds, particularly chlorinated hydrocarbons, as well as mercury. An objective of this study was to assess the spatial and temporal pattern of sediment toxicity and chemical bioaccumulation using static, laboratory sediment toxicity tests. Three independent toxicity tests were performed on whole-sediment samples. Mortality, growth and avoidance behaviour of the burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia limbata, was measured in 21-day exposures. Chironomid (Chironomus tentans) growth and mortality was determined in 10-day tests. Mortality and chemical uptake by the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, was examined by a standard 21-day test. Overall, the toxicity test results illustrated a high variability in organism toxicity on a spatial scale while temporal trends remained fairly constant. Among the test sediments, four sites were found to be lethal to all three test species and the sediments were collected downstream of industrial discharge points. One site was collected downstream of the ESSO intake (Stn 44-30), two stations situated downstream of the Cole Drain (Stns 136-10 and 136-30) and a single site downstream of Dow list street sewer (Stn 95-37). Another six stations were found to be either highly toxic (> 70% mortality) or moderately toxic (> 40% and < 70% mortality) to both benthic invertebrates. The stations were 44-45, 73-30, 45-35, 46-25, 74- 30 and 48-37. There was excellent agreement between Hexagenia and Chironomus mortality endpoints in identifying differences in sediment quality among sites. Substrate physical and nutrient characteristics were not considered to have a direct negative effect on either midge or mayfly biological endpoints. Minnow lethality was not significantly correlated with either mayfly or midge survival. A higher sensitivity of fish to elevated un-ionized ammonia concentrations during the test, may have played a role at some locations. Petroleum-based substances are inferred as the principle toxicants in sediments from ESSO, the Cole Drain and Polysar. Total petroleum hydrocarbon sediment concentrations above 1500 uglg (dry weight), were most frequently associated with higher organism toxicity. Significant correlations were measured between midge and mayfly lethality against the sum of hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorobutadiene, octachlorostyrene and pentachlorobenzene bulk sediment concentrations for the Dow sediments. The derived 10-day LC50 sediment concentration for the midge, Chironomus, was 147,ug/g (dry weighty and 162 pglg for the mayfly, Hexagenia. These values are similar to those predicted using a critical body residue e concentration of 1.0 to 1.6 mMlkg (wet weight), in conjunction with equilibrium partitioning- based sediment concentrations, for nonpolar narcotic substances. The toxicological action of these combined chemicals appear to be additive. The more lipophilic compounds measured in the sediment were also found to accumulate in the fathead minnow to the greatest extent. Chemical data indicate that the toxicological effect of highly volatile substances including hexachloroethane, chlorotoluene and trichlorobenzene could not be adequately assessed due to losses incurred during sediment manipulation prior to testing. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS t ........................................... Acknowledgements ......................................... i Executive Sum.m.a.ry. .......................................... ii List Of Tables ............................................. iv List of Figures .......................................... v List of Appendices v ................................... SECTION INTRODUCTION 1 1 SECTION 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS ......................... 2.1 Sample Collection an.d. S.i.te. .D.e.sc.r.ip.ti.o.n .......................... 2 2.2 Analytical Methods 5 2.3 Laboratory Biologica.l T.e.s.ti.n.g .M..et.h.o.ds. ......................... 6 2.4 Statistical Methods 10 SECTION 3 RESULTS ............................. 3.1 Water Quality Test Paramet.e.rs. ............................. 10 3.2 Sediment Characterization ....................... 15 Physical and Nutrient Properties ................... 16 Trace Metal Sediment Concentrations ............... 19 Organic Chemical Sediment Concentrations 19 ..... t 3.3 Mayfly (Hexagenia limbata) 21-day Lethality and Growth Results 29 3.4 Chironomid (Chironomus tentans) 10-day Lethality and Growth Results 34 ...... 3.5 Fathead Minnow (Pimephales prom.el.a.s). .2.1.-d.a.y .L.e.th.a.li.ty. .R.e.su.lt.s. ..... 36 3.6 Quality Assurance Toxicity Tests ............... 37 3.7 Chemical Bioaccumulation in Pimephales promelas 38 .................................... SECTION 4 DISCUSSION 41 ................................... SECTION 5 CONCLUSIONS 64 .................................... SECTION 6 REFERENCES 66 ui LIST OF TABLES ...... Table 1 1994 and 1995 St. Clair River sampling locations and descriptions 3 Table 2 Mean water quality characteristics in spring 1994 sediment bioassays .. 11 ..... 1 Table 2A Mean water quality characteristics in fall 1994 sediment bioassays 13 ....... Table 2B Mean water quality characteristics in 1995 sediment bioassays 14 Table 3 Sediment physical and nutrien.t .c.h.a.ra.c.te.r.is.ti.cs. .in. .c.on.t.ro.l.(s.) .a.n.d. S.t.. .C.la.i.r .R iver 1994 field sediment samples 17 Table 3A Sediment physical and nutrient characte.r.is.t.ic.s. in. .S.t.. C.l.ai.r .R.iv.e.r .1.9.9.5. la.b.o.r.at ory bioassay and field sediment samples 18 Table 4 Bulk concentrations .o.f .tr.a.ce. .m.e.t.a.ls. i.n .S.t.. .C.la.ir. R.i.v.er. .1.99.4. .fie.l.d. ....... sediment samples 20 Table 4A Bulk concentrations of trace .m.e.ta.l.s .in. .S.t. .C.l.ai.r .R.iv.e.r .1.9.9.5. l.ab.o.r.a.to.r.y .b.io.a.s say and field sediment samples 21 Table 5 Bulk sediment concentrations for chlorinated organics and pesticides in ..... reference control and St. Clair River 1994 field sediment samples 22 Table 6 Bulk concentrations of total PCBs, total PAHs, total TEQs, total petroleum hydrocarbons, solvent extracta.b.le.s. .a.n.d .c.h.lo.r.in.a.te.d. .o.rg.a.n.ic.s. i.n .S.t.. .C.la.ir. .R iver 1994 field sediment samples 24 Table 6A Bulk concentrations of total PCBs and chlorinated orga.n.ic.s. .in. .S.t.. .C.la.ir. .R iver 1995 laboratory bioassay and field sediment samples 27 Table 7 Summary of biological results on mayfly, midge and minnow .se.d.i.m.e.n.t ... bioassays for control(s) and St. Clair River 1994 sediments 30 Table 7A Summary of biological results on mayfly and midge quality assu.ra.n.c.e. s.e.d.im. ent bioassays for control and fall 1994 St. Clair River sediments 31 Table 7B Summary of biological results on mayfly, midge and minno.w. .s.ed.i.m.e.n.t ... bioassays for control and St. Clair River 1995 sediments 32 Table 8 Select organic concentrations in fathead minn.o.w.s. .e.xp.o.s.e.d. t.o. c.o.n.tr.o.l .a.n.d St. Clair River 1994 sediments in the laboratory 39 Table 9 Spatial variability in se.di.m.e.n.t .to.x.i.c.ity. .a.n.d .s.e.d.im.e.n.t. q.u.a.li.ty. .fo.r. S.t.. .C.la.i.r .R iver spring 1994 samples 42 I iv Table 10 Spearman rank correlation coefficients indicating significant positive (direct) correlations among toxicity data for spring 1994 St. Clair River sediments .............................................44 Table 11 Spearman rank correlation analysis summary indicating significant negative (inverse) or positive (direct) correlation between biological endpoints and sediment .p.hy.s.ic.a.l .a.n.d. .c.h.em..ic.a.l .p.a.r.am..e.te.r.s .f.o.r .s.pr.i.ng. .1.9.9.4. .S.t.. .C.la.ir. 4Riv8er 1 samples LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 1994 1 .1.9.9.5. .S.ta.t.io.n. l.oc.a.t.io.n.s. f.o.r .s.e.d.im..en.t. s.a.m.p.l.in.g. .in. .th.e. .u.pp.e.r. S..t. .C.l4air River .............. Figure 2 Organism mortality for St. Clair River 1994 sediments 33 ......... Figure 3 Mayfly and midge growth for St. Clair River 1994 sediments 35 .... Figure 4 Organism mortality for St. Clair River sediment: spring and fall 1994 45 ....... Figure 5 Organism mortality for St. Clair River sediment: 1994 and 1995 46 Figure 6 Regression analysis of midge 10-d percent mortality on bulls sediment .... hexachlorobutadiene concentration for transects 95, 48, 49 and 96 51 Figure 7 Regression analysis of midge 10-d percent mortality on bulk sediment ..... hexachlorobenzene concentration for transects 95, 48, 49 and 96 52 Figure 8 Regression analysis of midge 10-d percent mortality on sum of bulk sediment HCBD, HCB, QCB and OCS concentrations for transects 95, 48, 49 and 96 .............................................. 54 . Figure 9 Regression analysis of mayfly 21-d percent mortality on sum of bulk sediment HCBD, HCB, QCB and OCS concentrations for transects 95, 48, 49 and 96 ..............................................55 . Figure 10 Chlorinated organic chemical dis.tr.ib.u.ti.o.n. fo.r. b.u.lk. .se.d.im..e.nt., .e.lu.tr.i.at.e. a.n.d .fa.t.h ead minnow for Station 95 (1990) 62 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Al Analytical detection limits for n.u.t.ri.e.n.ts., .in.o.r.g.an.i.c .a.n.d .o.rg.a.n.ic. .c.on.t.a.m.in.a.n.t s in sediment and biota samples 75 v
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