Sediment toxicity data from stations in U.S. coastal waters from 1991-03-18 to 1993-03-03 (NCEI Accession 9400004)

Three toxicity tests were performed: a 10-day, solid phase survival test with the amphipod ampelisca abdita, a 48-hour, elutriate/ liquid phase test of development/survival with the larvae of the clam mulinia lateralis, and a 15-minute organic extract test of bioluminescence with the bacterium photobacterium phosphoreum (microtox test). Data obtained from the study "magnitude and extent of sediment toxicity in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary" was submitted in spreadsheet format in Macintosh Excel.

The documentation includes details of the stations, methodology, and summary of results. Additional information may be obtained by contacting: the National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program which has monitored the concentrations of selected toxicants in sediments, oysters, and bottom-dwelling fish in Tampa Bay since 1986. The observation of high concentrations of some chemicals has prompted the NS&T Program to initiate an intensive survey of the biological effects of toxicants in the estuary.

NOAA's assessment of the biological effects associated with toxicants in Tampa Bay was initiated with a research plan that invloved analyses of three media: sediments, bivalve mollusks, and demersal fish. The sediment toxicity tests were intended to provide information based on laboratory tests in which "natural" factors would be controlled in assessing the significance of the toxicants, and to provide bioeffects information on a small spatial scale.

Sediment samples for this study were collected in: Hills- borough Bay, all of Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay, cockroach Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, Manatee River, Anna Maria Sound, St. Petersburg Harbor, Gulfport/Bear Creek, and Charlotte Harbor (i.e., between 27 N and 83 W). NOAA initiated an area-wide survey of sediment toxicity in 1991 to provide internally-consistent data on the spatial extent and severity of the toxicity.

The intent of this survey was to sample all of the major regions within the study area (Newark Bay, and Arthur Kill and Passaic and Hackensack Rivers, 40 N and 75 W), collect surficial fine-grained sediments, and determine the degree of toxicity of the sediments to laboratory organisms these data are the results of the amphipod bioassay (with the amphipod ampelisca abdita), expressed in terms of percent survival. The documentation includes details of the stations, methodology, and summary of results.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting: NOAA/ORCA/ Bioeffects Assessment Branch 7600 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA 98115.