Assessment criteria for contaminants in sediment


Metals

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the environmental status of metal concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Effects Range Low (ERL)

BACs were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background.

ERLs were developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for assessing the ecological significance of sediment concentrations. Concentrations below the ERL rarely cause adverse effects in marine organisms.

BACs and ERLs are available for the following metals


BAC ERL
Arsenic 25      8.2
Cadmium     0.31   1.2
Chromium 81    81   
Copper 27    34   
Mercury     0.07     0.15
Nickel 36    21   
Lead 38    47   
Zinc 122      150     


Notes:

  • units are mg kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs are normalised to 5% aluminium
  • the ERLs are not normalised, but are assumed to be appropriate for concentrations normalised to 5% aluminium
  • the ERLs for arsenic and nickel are below their respective OSPAR Background Concentrations of 15 and 30 mg kg\(^{-1}\) dw; arsenic and nickel concentrations are only assessed against the BAC
  • the ERL for chromium equals the BAC; chromium concentrations are only assessed against the ERL


Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the environmental status of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Effects Range Low (ERL)

BACs were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background.

ERLs were developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for assessing the ecological significance of sediment concentrations. Concentrations below the ERL rarely cause adverse effects in marine organisms.

BACs and ERLs are available for the following PAHs


BAC ERL
Naphthalene    8 160 
Phenanthrene  32 240 
Anthracene    5  85
Dibenzothiophene 190 
Fluoranthene  39 600 
Pyrene  24 665 
Benz[a]anthracene  16 261 
Chrysene (Triphenylene)  20 384 
Benzo[a]pyrene  30 430 
Benzo[ghi]perylene  80
Indeno[123-cd]pyrene 103 


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs are normalised to 2.5% organic carbon
  • the ERLs are not normalised, but are assumed to be appropriate for concentrations normalised to 2.5% organic carbon


Polybrominated diphenyl ethers

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the environmental status of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Federal Environmental Quality Guideline (FEQG)

BACs were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background.

FEQGs were developed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. Concentrations below the FEQG should not cause any chronic effects on marine organisms. For use in the CEMP assessment, the FEQGs have been normalised to 2.5% organic carbon by multiplying the original values by 2.5 (assuming the sediment used in the toxicity trials had an organic carbon content of 1%).

Further information can be found in the OSPAR background documents for BACs and FEQGs,

BACs and FEQGs are available for the following PBDEs


BAC FEQG
BDE28 0.05   110
BDE47 0.05       97.5
BDE66 0.05       97.5
BDE85 0.05       1
BDE99 0.05       1
BD100 0.05       1
BD153 0.05 1100
BD154 0.05 1100
BD183 0.05 14000  
BD209 0.05       47.5


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs and FEQGs are normalised to 2.5% organic carbon


Polychlorinated biphenyls

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the status of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Environmental Assessment Criteria (EAC)

The assessment criteria were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background. Concentrations below the EAC should not cause any chronic effects on marine organisms.

BACs and EACs are available for the following PCBs


BAC EAC
CB28 0.22   1.7
CB52 0.12   2.7
CB101 0.14   3.0
CB118 0.17   0.6
CB138 0.15   7.9
CB153 0.19 40   
CB180 0.10 12   


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs are normalised to 2.5% organic carbon
  • the EACs are not normalised, but are assumed to be appropriate for concentrations normalised to 2.5% organic carbon