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Comparison of species sensitivity distributions for species from China and the USA

  • Environmental Quality Benchmarks for Protecting Aquatic Ecosystems
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Abstract

China has recently commenced water quality criteria (WQC) research using the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method; however, it is difficult to obtain sufficient native species toxicity data for thousands of contaminants. In this study, the feasibility of using non-native toxicity data in deriving native WQC was analyzed. We constructed SSDs based on acute toxicity data of species from China and the USA for eight priority pollutants, and compared the sensitivities of different taxonomic groups between the two countries. The results showed that the SSD method of log-logistic distribution fit the toxicity data of different taxa well. The comparison of sensitivity distribution and hazardous concentration for 5 % of the species and 50 % of the species showed that there was no significant difference between Chinese and American taxa. It could be feasible to use toxicity data from the USA to provide a temporary way to protect organisms in China in emergency situations or for management of priority pollutants when native toxicity data are lacking.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Science and Technology Project of Water Pollution Control and Abatement of China (grant no. 2012ZX07501-003-06), the Revolution Startup Special Project of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (grant no. 2011GQ-02, 2012YSKY18), and the Program of Environmental Protection Commonweal Research (grant no. 2011467054).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, An Wai Da Yang Fang 8, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100012, China

    Xiaonan Wang, Zhenguang Yan, Zhengtao Liu, Weili Wang & Handong Li

  2. College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Xiaonan Wang

  3. School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Cong Zhang

Authors
  1. Xiaonan Wang
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  2. Zhenguang Yan
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  3. Zhengtao Liu
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  4. Cong Zhang
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  5. Weili Wang
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  6. Handong Li
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhenguang Yan or Zhengtao Liu.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Wang, X., Yan, Z., Liu, Z. et al. Comparison of species sensitivity distributions for species from China and the USA. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 168–176 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2110-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2110-2

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