Sediment Toxicity and Equilibrium Partitioning Development of Sediment Quality Criteria for Toxic Substances

  • Dominic M. DiToro
  • Laura D. De Rosa
Conference paper
Part of the NATO ASI Series book series (volume 3)

Abstract

The toxicity of chemicals in sediments is strongly influenced by the extent to which the chemicals bind to the sediment. This modifies the chemical potential to which the organisms are subjected. As a consequence, different sediments will exhibit different degrees of toxicity for the same total quantity of chemical. These differences have been reconciled by relating organism response to the chemical concentration in the interstitial water of the sediments (Adams et al., 1985; Swartz, et al., 1985; Muir et al., 1985; Adams, 1987; Kemp and Swartz, 1988; Nebeker and Schuytema, 1988). The relevant sediment properties, therefore, are those which influence the distribution of chemical between the solid and aqueous phases.

Keywords

Pore Water Interstitial Water Acid Volatile Sulfide Sediment Toxicity Toxic Unit 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1995

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dominic M. DiToro
    • 1
    • 2
  • Laura D. De Rosa
    • 1
  1. 1.HydroQual, Inc. MahwahNew JerseyUSA
  2. 2.Department of Env. Engineering and Sci.Manhattan CollegeBronxUSA

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