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Biological and Chemical Determination of Dioxin-like Compounds in Sediments by Means of a Sediment Triad Approach in the Catchment Area of the River Neckar

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Abstract

To evaluate the sediment quality of selected sites in the catchment area of the River Neckar, an integrative assessment approach was used to assess the ecological hazard potential of dioxin-like sediment compounds. The approach is based on 7-ethoxyresorufin-O -deethylase (EROD) induction in embryonic chicken liver culture and comprehensive chemical analyses of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (priority PAHs according to the US Environmental Protection Agency). The majority of the sediment extracts exhibited high potencies as EROD-inducers. In one sediment sample, which was influenced by a sewage treatment plant, a very high concentration of 930 ng bioassay 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p -dioxin (TCDD) equivalents (bio-TEQs )/g organic carbon could be determined. However, in none of the samples, more than 6% of the EROD-inducing potency could be explained by the PAHs analyzed chemically. Thus, non-analyzed compounds with EROD-inducing potency were present in the extracts. A fractionation of sediment samples according to pH allowed to localize the major part of EROD-inducing compounds in the neutral fractions. However, a significant portion of the EROD induction could also be explained by the acidic fractions. Following the concept of the Sediment Quality Triad according to Chapman, in situ alterations of macrozoobenthos were examined. A comparison of the results predicted by the EROD assay and chemical analyses with alterations in situ , as measured by means of the saprobic index and the ecotoxicological index according to Carmargo, revealed a high ecological relevance of the results of bioassays and chemical analyses for major sites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany;

    Henner Hollert & Thomas Braunbeck

  2. Department of Hygiene, Johann-Andreas-Segner Str. 12, D-06097, Halle, Germany

    Matthias Dürr

  3. MTM, Department of Natural Sciences, University of Örebro, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden

    Helena Olsman, Bert van Bavel & Magnus Engwall

  4. Department of Environmental Toxicology, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden

    Krister Halldin & Mats Tysklind

  5. Department of Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Bert van Bavel

  6. UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, D-04301, Leipzig, Germany

    Werner Brack

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  1. Henner Hollert
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  2. Matthias Dürr
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  3. Helena Olsman
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  4. Krister Halldin
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Correspondence to Henner Hollert.

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Hollert, H., Dürr, M., Olsman, H. et al. Biological and Chemical Determination of Dioxin-like Compounds in Sediments by Means of a Sediment Triad Approach in the Catchment Area of the River Neckar. Ecotoxicology 11, 323–336 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020549103898

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