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Application of the Sediment Quality Triad (chemistry, bioassay, infauna) to determine pollution-induced degradation in San Francisco Bay
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I: No. 7 Application of the Sediment Quality Triad (chemistry, bioassay, infauna) to determine pollution-induced degradation in San Francisco Bay, P.M. Chapman 1, R.N. Dexter 2, E.R. Long 3, S.F. Cross ~ and D.G. Mitchell t. E.V.S. Consultants, 195 Pemberton Ave., N. Vancouver, B.C., Canada V7P 2R41; E.V.S. Consultants, 2335 Eastlake Ave. E., Seattle, WA 981022; U.S. N O A A , 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 981153, U.S.A. The Sediment Quality Triad consists of synoptic measurements of sediment contamination by chemical analysis, sediment toxicity through bioassays, and benthic infaunal c o m m u n i t y structure through taxonomic analysis of macroinfauna. The Triad approach is based upon the observation that each component complements the information provided by the other two, to provide an integrated assessment of pollution-induced degradation. The hypothesis underlying this concept is that no individual component of the Triad can be used to predict the results of the measurement of the other two components. Data were collected at three sites in the other two components. Data were collected at three sites in San Francisco Bay: Islais Waterway, near Oakland, and in San Pablo Bay. Sediment chemistry analyses indicated that the Islais Waterway site was more contaminated than the site near Oakland, while the latter was slightly more contaminated than the site in San Pablo Bay. However, even the highest sediment chemical concentrations measured in Islais Waterway were m u c h lower than the m a x i m u m concentrations of the same substances measured in other areas of the West Coast where sediment toxicity and modified infauna have been observed. As a result, the chemical data by themselves did not indicate major environmental effects. Analyses of benthic infannal c o m m u n i t y structure indicated that communities at the Islais Waterway site were the most altered while those at the Oakland site were slightly less altered relative to the San Pablo Bay site. But there were substantial differences in sediment texture such that, if sediment chemistry and toxicity data had not been collected, these benthic c o m m u n i t y differences could have been attributed to only the texture differences. Sediment bioassays indicated that the Islais Waterway site sediments were most toxic, the San Pablo Bay site sediments were least toxic, and the Oakland site sediments were intermediate. The bioassay data, if taken alone, would have predicted that the degree of contamination at the lslais Waterway site was greater than actually measured. Thus each component of the Triad provided different but complementary information regarding the conditions at each station and site. The Sediment Quality Triad was used to assess the overall degree of pollution-induced degradation o f each station and site. Using a composite index developed from the three Triad components, the Islais Waterway site could be considered to be 58 times more degraded than the San Pablo Bay site, the site most removed from direct anthropogenic influences. By the same index, the Oakland site was 1.4 times more degraded t h a n the San Pablo Bay site.
I: No. 8 Xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in two species of benthic fish showing different prevalences of hepatic neoplasms in Puget Sound, Washington. Tracy K. Collier and Usha Varanasi. Biochemical Effects Task, Environmental Conservation Division, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, N O A A , Seattle, WA 98112, U.S.A. English sole (Parophrys vetulus) is a species of benthic flatfish shown to develop hepatic neoplasms in several areas of Puget Sound, and the prevalences of hepatic neoplasms are strongly correlated with the levels of A H s in bottom sediments. However, starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) from one of the same areas (e.g., the Duwamish Waterway) show considerably lower prevalences o f hepatic neoplasms (<2°70, compared to 2107o for English sole). As part of our efforts to understand the biochemical basis of chemical carcinogenesis in fish, we are studying, both in English sole and starry flounder, a diverse
I: No. 7 Application of the Sediment Quality Triad (chemistry, bioassay, infauna) to determine pollution-induced degradation in San Francisco Bay, P.M. Chapman 1, R.N. Dexter 2, E.R. Long 3, S.F. Cross ~ and D.G. Mitchell t. E.V.S. Consultants, 195 Pemberton Ave., N. Vancouver, B.C., Canada V7P 2R41; E.V.S. Consultants, 2335 Eastlake Ave. E., Seattle, WA 981022; U.S. N O A A , 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 981153, U.S.A. The Sediment Quality Triad consists of synoptic measurements of sediment contamination by chemical analysis, sediment toxicity through bioassays, and benthic infaunal c o m m u n i t y structure through taxonomic analysis of macroinfauna. The Triad approach is based upon the observation that each component complements the information provided by the other two, to provide an integrated assessment of pollution-induced degradation. The hypothesis underlying this concept is that no individual component of the Triad can be used to predict the results of the measurement of the other two components. Data were collected at three sites in the other two components. Data were collected at three sites in San Francisco Bay: Islais Waterway, near Oakland, and in San Pablo Bay. Sediment chemistry analyses indicated that the Islais Waterway site was more contaminated than the site near Oakland, while the latter was slightly more contaminated than the site in San Pablo Bay. However, even the highest sediment chemical concentrations measured in Islais Waterway were m u c h lower than the m a x i m u m concentrations of the same substances measured in other areas of the West Coast where sediment toxicity and modified infauna have been observed. As a result, the chemical data by themselves did not indicate major environmental effects. Analyses of benthic infannal c o m m u n i t y structure indicated that communities at the Islais Waterway site were the most altered while those at the Oakland site were slightly less altered relative to the San Pablo Bay site. But there were substantial differences in sediment texture such that, if sediment chemistry and toxicity data had not been collected, these benthic c o m m u n i t y differences could have been attributed to only the texture differences. Sediment bioassays indicated that the Islais Waterway site sediments were most toxic, the San Pablo Bay site sediments were least toxic, and the Oakland site sediments were intermediate. The bioassay data, if taken alone, would have predicted that the degree of contamination at the lslais Waterway site was greater than actually measured. Thus each component of the Triad provided different but complementary information regarding the conditions at each station and site. The Sediment Quality Triad was used to assess the overall degree of pollution-induced degradation o f each station and site. Using a composite index developed from the three Triad components, the Islais Waterway site could be considered to be 58 times more degraded than the San Pablo Bay site, the site most removed from direct anthropogenic influences. By the same index, the Oakland site was 1.4 times more degraded t h a n the San Pablo Bay site.
I: No. 8 Xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in two species of benthic fish showing different prevalences of hepatic neoplasms in Puget Sound, Washington. Tracy K. Collier and Usha Varanasi. Biochemical Effects Task, Environmental Conservation Division, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, N O A A , Seattle, WA 98112, U.S.A. English sole (Parophrys vetulus) is a species of benthic flatfish shown to develop hepatic neoplasms in several areas of Puget Sound, and the prevalences of hepatic neoplasms are strongly correlated with the levels of A H s in bottom sediments. However, starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) from one of the same areas (e.g., the Duwamish Waterway) show considerably lower prevalences o f hepatic neoplasms (<2°70, compared to 2107o for English sole). As part of our efforts to understand the biochemical basis of chemical carcinogenesis in fish, we are studying, both in English sole and starry flounder, a diverse