Abstract
Purpose
This paper evaluates the feasibility of using the buffering capacity of natural soil for the remediation of dredged material before being disposed in soil landfills. To achieve that, an Integrated Soil Microcosms (ISM) system was designed to produce elutriates and leachates from the sediment/soil percentage mixtures. Furthermore, to investigate the biological effects of the contaminated sediments, the toxicity behavior of leachates and elutriates was assessed and compared by performing acute (48 h) toxicity assays with the cladoceran Daphnia magna as test organism.
Materials and methods
Sediment samples contaminated with industrial residues were collected in November–December 2007 in a river area under the influence of the effluents from a chlor-alkali industry (Ebro River basin in Flix Reservoir, NE Spain). Uncontaminated natural soil was collected from a pesticide-free field. Particle size, pH, conductivity, total organic carbon, organic matter content, and soil and sediment moisture were determined. Eighty ISM were set up in the laboratory. To each ISM, 3 kg of fresh soil was added to form a 20-cm deep layer. Sediment and soil were mixed in the following proportions: 0:100, 10:90, 20:80, 35:65, and 50:50 (percent sediment/soil). Five hundred grams of the mixtures were placed at the top of each microcosm to form a 10-cm deep layer. The Integrated Soil Microcosm experiment ran for 60 days. Elutriates were obtained at days 1, 7, 14, 30, and 60 while leachates were collected at days 7, 14, and 30. At each sampling time, the toxicity of the extracted elutriate and collected leachate was evaluated by performing D. magna immobilization tests.
Results and discussion
From the results, it was apparent that the toxicity of contaminated sediments decreased with the increasing percentage of fresh soil that was added as a buffer. The results also exhibited that the obtained elutriates caused significant mortalities in D. magna at day 1 and day 7, though a slight reduction in the mortality of D. magna was observed by day 30. Conversely, a different pattern of toxicity was observed in the case of the produced leachates, where no mortality of D. magna was observed at day 7, but the toxicity increased with time resulting in some mortality of D. magna by day 30. Through the leaching process, toxic contaminants present in the soil/sediment mixtures seemed to be washed out through a 30-cm soil column leading to an increased toxicity of the leachates over time and to a decreased toxicity of the soil/sediment mixtures used to obtain the elutriates.
Conclusions
Soil microcosms using natural soil as a buffer can be used to evaluate the toxicity of contaminated sediments and also to assess the environmental impacts on soil organisms and ground waters as a result of run-off and infiltration processes. The high mortality of D. magna exposed to elutriates observed at the beginning of the experiment (day 1) indicated the presence of hazardous toxicants in the sediments collected from the Ebro River.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ASTM (2000) Standard test methods for moisture, ash, and organic matter of peat and other organic soils. Method D 2974-00. ASTM, West Conshohocken
ASTM (2005) Standard test methods for measuring the toxicity of sediment-associated contaminants with freshwater invertebrates. ASTM E 1706-05. ASTM, West Conshohocken, p 118
Baird DJ, Barata C (1998) Genetic variation in the response of Daphnia to toxic substances: implication for risk assessment. In: Forbes VE (ed), Genetics and ecotoxicology. Taylor and Francis, Ann Arbor, pp 207–221
Barata C, Baird DJ, Soares AMVM (2000) Do genotype responses always converge from lethal to non-lethal toxicant exposure levels? A hypothesis tested using laboratory Daphnia magna Strauss clones. Environ Toxicol Chem 19:2314–2322
Barata C, Baird DJ, Nogueira AJA, Soares AMVM, Riva MC (2006) Toxicity of binary mixtures of metals and pyrethroid insecticides to Daphnia magna Straus. Implications for multi-substance risks assessment. Aquat Toxicol 78(1):1–14
Barata C, Baird DJ, Nogueira AJA, Agra AR, Soares AMVM (2007) Life-history responses of Daphnia magna Straus to binary mixtures of toxic substances: pharmacological versus ecotoxicological modes of action. Aquat Toxicol 84(4):439–449
Bernard C, Guido P, Colin J, Anne LDD (1996) Estimation of the hazard of landfills through toxicity testing of leachates. I. Determination of leachate toxicity with a battery of acute tests. Chemosphere 33:2303–2320
Bliss CI (1935) The calculations of the dosage–mortality curve. Ann Appl Biol 22:134–167
Blume LJ, Schumacker BA, Shaffer PW (1990) Handbook of methods for acid deposition studies laboratory analysis for soil chemistry. EPA/600/4-90/023. US Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas
Bosch C, Olivares A, Faria M, Navas JM, Olmo I, Grimalt JO, Piña B, Barata C (2009) Identification of water soluble and particle bound compounds causing sub-lethal toxic effects: a field study on sediments affected by chlor-alkali industry. Aquat Toxicol 94:16–27
Eljarrat E, Martínez MA, Sanz P, Concejero MA, Piña B, Quirós L, Raldúa D, Barceló D (2008) Distribution and biological impact of dioxin-like compounds in risk zones along the Ebro River basin (Spain). Chemosphere 71:1156–1161
FAOUN (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) (1984) Physical and chemical methods of soil and water analysis. Soils Bull 10:1–275
Fernandéz MA, Alonso C, González MJ, Hernandez LM (1999) Occurrence of organochlorine insecticides, PCBs and PCB congeners in waters and sediments of the Ebro River (Spain). Chemosphere 38:33–43
Ferrari B, Radetski CM, Veber AM, Ferard JF (1999) Ecotoxicological assessment of solid wastes: a combined liquid- and solid-phase testing approach using a battery of bioassays and biomarkers. Environ Toxicol Chem 18:119–1202
Förstner U, Wittmann GTW (1983) Metal pollution in the aquatic environment, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 102–486
Gambrell RP, Reddy CN, Collard V, Green G, Patrick H Jr (1984) The recovery of DDT, kepone, and permethrin added to soil and sediment suspensions incubated under controlled redox potential and pH conditions. J Water Pollut Control Fed 56:174–182
Gillet P (1989) Axiothella crozetensis, a new species of maldanid polychaete from Crozet Islands (Indian Ocean). Proc Biol Soc Wash 102(4):866–869
Grimalt JO (2006) http://mediambient.gencat.cat/cat/ciutadans/informacio_ambiental/Flix/estudi.jsp?ComponentID=42291&SourcePageID=42851#1
Guzzela L (1998) Comparison of test procedures for sediment toxicity evaluation with Vibrio fischeri bacteria. Chemosphere 37(14–15):2895–2909
Hoke R, Giesy JP, Zabik M, Unger M (1993) Toxicity of sediments and sediments pore waters from the grand calumet river- Indiana Harbour, Indiana area concern. Ecotox Environ Saf 26:86–112
Hyötyläin T, Oikari A (1999) Assessment of toxicity hazards of dredged lake sediment contaminated by creosote. Sci Total Environ 243–244:97–105
Kassim TA, Bernd R, Simoneit T, Williamson KJ (2005) Forensic investigation of leachates from recycled solid wastes: an environmental analysis approach. The handbook of environmental chemistry, vol. 5, 5F. Springer, Berlin, pp 321–400
Kristensen E, Andersen FØ (1987) Determination of organic carbon in marine sediments: a comparison of two CHN-analyzer methods. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 109:15–23
Lavado R, Ureña R, Martin-Skilton R, Torreblanca A, De Ramo J, Raldúa D, Porte C (2004) The combined use of chemical and biochemical markers to assess water quality along the Ebro River. Environ Pollut 139:330–339
Meers EM, Hopgood E, Lesage P, Vervaeke Tack FMG, Verloo MG (2004) Enhanced phytoremediation: in search of EDTA alternatives. Int J Phytoremediation 6:93–109
Navarro A, Quirós L, Casado M, Faria M, Carrasco L, Benejam L, Benito J, Díez S, Raldúa D, Barata C, Bayona J, Piña B (2009) Physiological responses to mercury in feral carp populations inhabiting the low Ebro River (NE Spain), a historically contaminated site. Aquat Toxicol 93:150–157
Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1996) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In: Page AP (ed) Methods of soil analysis, part 2, vol 9, 2nd edn. Agronomy. Am. Soc. Of Agron., Inc, Madison, pp 961–1010
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) (2004) Guideline for testing of chemicals, 202, Daphnia sp., acute immobilisation test. Environment Directorate OECD, Paris
Parmelee RW, Wentsel RS, Philips CT, Simini M, Checkai RT (1993) Soil microcosm for testing the effects of chemical pollutants on soil fauna communities and trophic structure. Environ Toxicol Chem 12:1477–1486
Pereira JL, Gonçalves F (2007) Effects of food bioavailability on the acute and chronic toxicity of the insecticide methomyl to Daphnia sp. Sci Total Environ 386:9–20
Pereira AMM, Soares AMVM, Gonçalves F, Ribeiro R (2000) Water-column, sediment, and in situ chronic bioassays with cladocerans. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 47:27–38
Schroeder PR, Bailey SE, Estes TJ, Price RA (2008) Screening Evaluations for Upland Confined Disposal Facility Surface Runoff Quality. DOER-R12, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS
Seco JI, Pereira CF, Vale J (2003) A study of the leachate toxicity of metal-containing solid wastes using Daphnia magna. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 56:339–350
Sheppard SC (1997) Toxicity testing using microcosms. In: Tarradellas J, Bitton G, Rossel D (eds) Soil ecotoxicology. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, pp 345–373
Singh SP, Tack FMG, Verloo MG (1998) Land disposal of heavy metal contaminated dredged sediments: a review of environmental aspects. Land Contam Reclam 6(3P):149–158
Sousa JP, Rodrigues JML, Loureiro S, Soares AMVM, Jones SE, Foster B, Van Gestel CAM (2004) Ring-testing and field validation of a terrestrial model ecosystem (TME)—an instrument for potentially harmfully substances: effects of the model chemical carbendazim on soil microbial parameters. Ecotoxicol 13:43–60
Van Voris P, Tolle D, Arthur M, Chesson J (1985) Terrestrial microcosms: applications, validation and cost–benefit analysis. In: Jr C (ed) Multispecies toxicity testing. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 117–142
Veerina SS, Parker NC, Fedler CB (2002) Effects of sludge filtrate on the survival and reproduction of Ceriodaphnia dubia. Ecotoxicol 11:113–118
Wagstaffe FJ (1976) The control of water pollution and the disposal of solid wastes in the industries producing basic inorganic chemicals. Pure Appl Chem 45(3/4):141–145
Zar JH (1996) Biostatistical analysis, 3rd edn. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Fundação para a Ciência e Technologia for providing a Pos-Doc grant to José Rodrigues (SFRH/BPD/8347/2002), Program Leonard Da Vinci for providing grant to Ana Miranda and through the Research Grant Projects MEC Ref. CGL2004-03514 and CTM2007-62436. Many thanks are also due to the two anonymous reviewers whose comments and suggestions contributed substantially to improve this paper. We also thank to Doctor Robin Mitra and Mrs. Margaret Tilleard for editorial assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Arnold V. Hallare
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miranda, A.F.P., Rodrigues, J.M.L., Barata, C. et al. The use of Daphnia magna immobilization tests and soil microcosms to evaluate the toxicity of dredged sediments. J Soils Sediments 11, 373–381 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0322-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0322-3