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Consideration of the bioavailability of metal/metalloid species in freshwaters: experiences regarding the implementation of biotic ligand model-based approaches in risk assessment frameworks

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Abstract

After the scientific development of biotic ligand models (BLMs) in recent decades, these models are now considered suitable for implementation in regulatory risk assessment of metals in freshwater bodies. The BLM approach has been described in many peer-reviewed publications, and the original complex BLMs have been applied in prospective risk assessment reports for metals and metal compounds. BLMs are now also recommended as suitable concepts for the site-specific evaluation of monitoring data in the context of the European Water Framework Directive. However, the use is hampered by the data requirements for the original BLMs (about 10 water parameters). Recently, several user-friendly BLM-based bioavailability software tools for assessing the aquatic toxicity of relevant metals (mainly copper, nickel, and zinc) became available. These tools only need a basic set of commonly determined water parameters as input (i.e., pH, hardness, dissolved organic matter, and dissolved metal concentration). Such tools seem appropriate to foster the implementation of routine site-specific water quality assessments. This work aims to review the existing bioavailability-based regulatory approaches and the application of available BLM-based bioavailability tools for this purpose. Advantages and possible drawbacks of these tools (e.g., feasibility, boundaries of validity) are discussed, and recommendations for further implementation are given.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (Fraunhofer IME), Auf dem Aberg 1, 57392, Schmallenberg, Germany

    Heinz Rüdel

  2. Cantabrian Basin Authority, Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, 33071, Oviedo, Spain

    Cristina Díaz Muñiz

  3. Department of Natural Sciences, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK

    Hemda Garelick & Leonardo Pantoja Munoz

  4. Faculty of Women, Chemistry Department, Ain Shams University, Heliopolis, Cairo, 11757, Egypt

    Nadia G. Kandile

  5. United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Enforcement Investigations Center, PO Box 25227, Denver, CO, 80225, USA

    Bradley W. Miller

  6. National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Center for Safety of Substances and Products, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    Willie J. G. M. Peijnenburg

  7. Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Faculty of Science, University Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Willie J. G. M. Peijnenburg & Martina Vijver

  8. Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK

    Diane Purchase

  9. Consulting Engineers and Planners Ltd, 7 Giborey Israel St., 425407, Netanya, Israel

    Yehuda Shevah

  10. ARCHE, Stapelplein 70, Box 104, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Patrick van Sprang

  11. Deltares Foundation, Princetonlaan 6-8, 3584 CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Jos P. M. Vink

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Rüdel, H., Díaz Muñiz, C., Garelick, H. et al. Consideration of the bioavailability of metal/metalloid species in freshwaters: experiences regarding the implementation of biotic ligand model-based approaches in risk assessment frameworks. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 7405–7421 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4257-5

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