ASTM E1525-02(2014)

Standard Guide for Designing Biological Tests with Sediments

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
6.1 Contaminated sediments may affect natural populations of aquatic organisms adversely. Sediment-dwelling organisms may be exposed directly to contaminants by the ingestion of sediments and by the uptake of sediment-associated contaminants from interstitial and overlying water. Contaminated sediments may affect water column species directly by serving as a source of contaminants to overlying waters or a sink for contaminants from overlying waters. Organisms may also be affected when contaminated sediments are suspended in the water column by natural or human activities. Water column species and nonaquatic species may also be affected indirectly by contaminated sediments by the transfer of contaminants through ecosystems (7, 8).  
6.2 The procedures described in this guide may be used and adapted for incorporation in basic and applied research to determine the ecological effects of contaminated sediments. These same methods may also be used in the development and implementation of monitoring and regulatory programs designed to prevent and manage sediment contamination.  
6.3 Sediment tests with aquatic organisms can be used to quantify the acute and chronic toxicity and the bioavailability of new and presently used materials. Sediment toxicity may also result from environmental processes such as ammonia generation, pH shifts, or dissolved oxygen fluctuation. In many cases, consideration of the adverse effects of sediment-associated contaminants is only one part of a complete hazard assessment of manufactured compounds that are applied directly to the environment (for example, pesticides) and those released (for example, through wastewater effluents) as by-products from the manufacturing process or from municipalities (7).  
6.4 Sediment tests can be used to develop exposure-response relationships for individual toxicants by spiking clean sediments with varying concentrations of a test chemical and determining the concentration that elicits the target response in...
SCOPE
1.1 As the contamination of freshwater and saltwater ecosystems continues to be reduced through the implementation of regulations governing both point and non-point source discharges, there is a growing emphasis and concern regarding historical inputs and their influence on water and sediment quality. Many locations in urban areas exhibit significant sediment contamination, which poses a continual and long-term threat to the functional condition of benthic communities and other species inhabiting these areas (1).2 Benthic communities are an important component of many ecosystems and alterations of these communities may affect water-column and nonaquatic species.  
1.2 Biological tests with sediments are an efficient means for evaluating sediment contamination because they provide information complementary to chemical characterizations and ecological surveys (2). Acute sediment toxicity tests can be used as screening tools in the early phase of an assessment hierarchy that ultimately could include chemical measurements or bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity tests. Sediment tests have been applied in both saltwater and freshwater environments (2-6). Sediment tests have been used for dredge material permitting, site ranking for remediation, recovery studies following management actions, and trend monitoring. A particularly important application is for establishing contaminant-specific effects and the processes controlling contaminant bioavailability(7).  
1.3 This guide is arranged as follows:    
Section  
Referenced Documents  
2  
Terminology  
3  
Application  
4  
Summary of Guide  
5  
Significance and Use  
6  
Hazards  
7  
Sediment Test Types  
8  
Biological Responses  
9  
Test Organisms  
10  
Experimental Design Considerations  
11  
Data Interpretation  
12  
Keywords  
13  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values g...

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2014
• ICS: 13.080.30 - Biological properties of soils
• Technical Committee: E50 - Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action
• Drafting Committee: E50.47 - Biological Effects and Environmental Fate

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E1525 − 02 (Reapproved 2014)
Standard Guide for
1
Designing Biological Tests with Sediments
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1525; 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*
Test Organisms 10
Experimental Design Considerations 11
1.1 As the contamination of freshwater and saltwater eco-
Data Interpretation 12
systems continues to be reduced through the implementation of Keywords 13
regulations governing both point and non-point source
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
discharges, there is a growing emphasis and concern regarding
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
historical inputs and their influence on water and sediment
only.
quality. Many locations in urban areas exhibit significant
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
sediment contamination, which poses a continual and long-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
term threat to the functional condition of benthic communities
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
2
and other species inhabiting these areas (1). Benthic commu-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
nities are an important component of many ecosystems and
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazard
alterations of these communities may affect water-column and
statements, see Section 7.
nonaquatic species.
2. Referenced Documents
1.2 Biological tests with sediments are an efficient means
3
for evaluating sediment contamination because they provide
2.1 ASTM Standards:
information complementary to chemical characterizations and
D1129 Terminology Relating to Water
ecological surveys (2). Acute sediment toxicity tests can be
D4447 Guide for Disposal of Laboratory Chemicals and
used as screening tools in the early phase of an assessment
Samples
hierarchy that ultimately could include chemical measurements
E724 Guide for Conducting Static Acute Toxicity Tests
or bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity tests. Sediment tests
Starting with Embryos of Four Species of Saltwater
have been applied in both saltwater and freshwater environ-
Bivalve Molluscs
ments (2-6). Sediment tests have been used for dredge material
E729 Guide for Conducting Acute Toxicity Tests on Test
permitting, site ranking for remediation, recovery studies
Materials with Fishes, Macroinvertebrates, and Amphib-
following management actions, and trend monitoring. A par-
ians
ticularly important application is for establishing contaminant-
E943 Terminology Relating to Biological Effects and Envi-
specific effects and the processes controlling contaminant
ronmental Fate
bioavailability(7).
E1023 Guide for Assessing the Hazard of a Material to
Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses
1.3 This guide is arranged as follows:
E1367 Test Method for Measuring the Toxicity of Sediment-
Section
Associated Contaminants with Estuarine and Marine In-
Referenced Documents 2
Terminology 3
vertebrates
Application 4
E1383 Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with
Summary of Guide 5
4
Freshwater Invertebrates (Withdrawn 1995)
Significance and Use 6
Hazards 7
E1391 Guide for Collection, Storage, Characterization, and
Sediment Test Types 8
Manipulation of Sediments for Toxicological Testing and
Biological Responses 9
for Selection of Samplers Used to Collect Benthic Inver-
tebrates
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on Environmental
Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the direct responsibil-
3
ity of Subcommittee E50.47 on Biological Effects and Environmental Fate. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2014. Published May 2015. Originally approved contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as E1525 – 02(2008). DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/E1525-02R14. the ASTM website.
2 4
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
this standard. www.astm.org.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E1525 − 02 (2014)
E1563 Guide for Conducting Static Acute Toxicity Tests 3.2.6 overlying water—the
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E1525 − 02 (Reapproved 2008) E1525 − 02 (Reapproved 2014)
Standard Guide for
1
Designing Biological Tests with Sediments
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1525; 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*
1.1 As the contamination of freshwater and saltwater ecosystems continues to be reduced through the implementation of
regulations governing both point and non-point source discharges, there is a growing emphasis and concern regarding historical
inputs and their influence on water and sediment quality. Many locations in urban areas exhibit significant sediment contamination,
which poses a continual and long-term threat to the functional condition of benthic communities and other species inhabiting these
2
areas (1). Benthic communities are an important component of many ecosystems and alterations of these communities may affect
water-column and nonaquatic species.
1.2 Biological tests with sediments are an efficient means for evaluating sediment contamination because they provide
information complementary to chemical characterizations and ecological surveys (2). Acute sediment toxicity tests can be used as
screening tools in the early phase of an assessment hierarchy that ultimately could include chemical measurements or
bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity tests. Sediment tests have been applied in both saltwater and freshwater environments (2-6).
Sediment tests have been used for dredge material permitting, site ranking for remediation, recovery studies following management
actions, and trend monitoring. A particularly important application is for establishing contaminant-specific effects and the processes
controlling contaminant bioavailability(7).
1.3 This guide is arranged as follows:
Section
Referenced Documents 2
Terminology 3
Application 4
Summary of Guide 5
Significance and Use 6
Hazards 7
Sediment Test Types 8
Biological Responses 9
Test Organisms 10
Experimental Design Considerations 11
Data Interpretation 12
Keywords 13
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use. For specific hazard statements, see Section 7.
2. Referenced Documents
3
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D1129 Terminology Relating to Water
D4447 Guide for Disposal of Laboratory Chemicals and Samples
E724 Guide for Conducting Static Acute Toxicity Tests Starting with Embryos of Four Species of Saltwater Bivalve Molluscs
E729 Guide for Conducting Acute Toxicity Tests on Test Materials with Fishes, Macroinvertebrates, and Amphibians
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the direct responsibility
of Subcommittee E50.47 on Biological Effects and Environmental Fate.
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2008Oct. 1, 2014. Published February 2008May 2015. Originally approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 20022008 as
E1525 – 02.E1525 – 02(2008). DOI: 10.1520/E1525-02R08.10.1520/E1525-02R14.
2
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of this standard.
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E1525 − 02 (2014)
E943 Terminology Relating to Biological Effects and Environmental Fate
E1023 Guide for Assessing the Hazard of a Material to Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses
E1367 Test Method for Measuring the Toxicity of Sediment-Associated Contaminants with Estuarine and Marine Invertebrates
4
E1383 Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Freshwater Invertebrates (Withdrawn 1995)
E1391 Guid
...