ASTM E1391-03(2023)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Collection, Storage, Characterization, and Manipulation of Sediments for Toxicological Testing and for Selection of Samplers Used to Collect Benthic Invertebrates
Standard Guide for Collection, Storage, Characterization, and Manipulation of Sediments for Toxicological Testing and for Selection of Samplers Used to Collect Benthic Invertebrates
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 Sediment toxicity evaluations are a critical component of environmental quality and ecosystem impact assessments, and are used to meet a variety of research and regulatory objectives. The manner in which the sediments are collected, stored, characterized, and manipulated can influence the results of any sediment quality or process evaluation greatly. Addressing these variables in a systematic and uniform manner will aid the interpretations of sediment toxicity or bioaccumulation results and may allow comparisons between studies.
5.2 Sediment quality assessment is an important component of water quality protection. Sediment assessments commonly include physicochemical characterization, toxicity tests or bioaccumulation tests, as well as benthic community analyses. The use of consistent sediment collection, manipulation, and storage methods will help provide high quality samples with which accurate data can be obtained for the national inventory and for other programs to prevent, remediate, and manage contaminated sediment.
5.3 It is now widely known that the methods used in sample collection, transport, handling, storage, and manipulation of sediments and interstitial waters can influence the physicochemical properties and the results of chemical, toxicity, and bioaccumulation analyses. Addressing these variables in an appropriate and systematic manner will provide more accurate sediment quality data and facilitate comparisons among sediment studies.
5.4 This standard provides current information and recommendations for collecting and handling sediments for physicochemical characterization and biological testing, using procedures that are most likely to maintain in situ conditions, most accurately represent the sediment in question, or satisfy particular needs, to help generate consistent, high quality data collection.
5.5 This standard is intended to provide technical support to those who design or perform sediment quality studies under a variety of ...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers procedures for obtaining, storing, characterizing, and manipulating marine, estuarine, and freshwater sediments, for use in laboratory sediment toxicity evaluations and describes samplers that can be used to collect sediment and benthic invertebrates (Annex A1). This standard is not meant to provide detailed guidance for all aspects of sediment assessments, such as chemical analyses or monitoring, geophysical characterization, or extractable phase and fractionation analyses. However, some of this information might have applications for some of these activities. A variety of methods are reviewed in this guide. A statement on the consensus approach then follows this review of the methods. This consensus approach has been included in order to foster consistency among studies. It is anticipated that recommended methods and this guide will be updated routinely to reflect progress in our understanding of sediments and how to best study them. This version of the standard is based primarily on a document developed by USEPA (2001 (1))2 and by Environment Canada (1994 (2)) as well as an earlier version of this standard.
1.2 Protecting sediment quality is an important part of restoring and maintaining the biological integrity of our natural resources as well as protecting aquatic life, wildlife, and human health. Sediment is an integral component of aquatic ecosystems, providing habitat, feeding, spawning, and rearing areas for many aquatic organisms (MacDonald and Ingersoll 2002 a, b (3)(4)). Sediment also serves as a reservoir for contaminants in sediment and therefore a potential source of contaminants to the water column, organisms, and ultimately human consumers of those organisms. These contaminants can arise from a number of sources, including municipal and industrial discharges, urban and agricultural runoff, atmospheric deposition, and port operations.
1.3 Contaminated sediment can cause lethal ...
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E1391 − 03 (Reapproved 2023)
Standard Guide for
Collection, Storage, Characterization, and Manipulation of
Sediments for Toxicological Testing and for Selection of
1
Samplers Used to Collect Benthic Invertebrates
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1391; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope* industrial discharges, urban and agricultural runoff, atmo-
spheric deposition, and port operations.
1.1 This guide covers procedures for obtaining, storing,
characterizing, and manipulating marine, estuarine, and fresh-
1.3 Contaminated sediment can cause lethal and sublethal
water sediments, for use in laboratory sediment toxicity evalu-
effects in benthic (sediment-dwelling) and other sediment-
ations and describes samplers that can be used to collect
associated organisms. In addition, natural and human distur-
sediment and benthic invertebrates (Annex A1). This standard
bances can release contaminants to the overlying water, where
is not meant to provide detailed guidance for all aspects of
pelagic (water column) organisms can be exposed. Sediment-
sediment assessments, such as chemical analyses or
associated contaminants can reduce or eliminate species of
monitoring, geophysical characterization, or extractable phase
recreational, commercial, or ecological importance, either
and fractionation analyses. However, some of this information
through direct effects or by affecting the food supply that
might have applications for some of these activities. A variety
sustainable populations require. Furthermore, some contami-
of methods are reviewed in this guide. A statement on the
nants in sediment can bioaccumulate through the food chain
consensus approach then follows this review of the methods.
and pose health risks to wildlife and human consumers even
This consensus approach has been included in order to foster
when sediment-dwelling organisms are not themselves im-
consistency among studies. It is anticipated that recommended
pacted (Test Method E1706).
methods and this guide will be updated routinely to reflect
progress in our understanding of sediments and how to best
1.4 There are several regulatory guidance documents con-
study them. This version of the standard is based primarily on
cerned with sediment collection and characterization proce-
2
a document developed by USEPA (2001 (1)) and by Environ-
dures that might be important for individuals performing
ment Canada (1994 (2)) as well as an earlier version of this
federal or state agency-related work. Discussion of some of the
standard.
principles and current thoughts on these approaches can be
found in Dickson, et al. Ingersoll et al. (1997 (5)), and Wenning
1.2 Protecting sediment quality is an important part of
restoring and maintaining the biological integrity of our natural and Ingersoll (2002 (6)).
resources as well as protecting aquatic life, wildlife, and human
1.5 This guide is arranged as follows:
health. Sediment is an integral component of aquatic
Section
ecosystems, providing habitat, feeding, spawning, and rearing
Scope 1
areas for many aquatic organisms (MacDonald and Ingersoll
Referenced Documents 2
Terminology 3
2002 a, b (3)(4)). Sediment also serves as a reservoir for
Summary of Guide 4
contaminants in sediment and therefore a potential source of
Significance and Use 5
contaminants to the water column, organisms, and ultimately
Interferences 6
Apparatus 7
human consumers of those organisms. These contaminants can
Safety Hazards 8
arise from a number of sources, including municipal and
Sediment Monitoring and Assessment Plans 9
Collection of Whole Sediment Samples 10
Field Sample Processing, Transport, and Storage of 11
Sediments
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on Environmental Sample Manipulations 12
Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the direct responsibil- Collection of Interstitial Water 13
Physico-chemical Characterization of Sediment Samples 14
ity of Subcommittee E50.47 on Biological Effects and Environmental Fate.
Quality Assurance 15
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2023. Published March 2023. Originally
Report 16
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as E1391 – 03(2014).
Keywords 17
DOI: 10.1520/E1391-03R23.
2
Description of Samplers Used to Collect Sediment or Annex A1
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
Benth
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