Article

Integration of bioavailability, ecology and ecotoxicology by three lines of evidence into ecological risk indexes for contaminated soil assessment.

Department of Environmental Sciences and Centre IDEAS, University Ca' Foscari, Venice, Italy.
Science of The Total Environment (impact factor: 3.29). 02/2008; 389(1):71-86. DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.08.032 pp.71-86
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT A Weight of Evidence approach was applied to define three integrated effect indexes estimating the impairment on terrestrial ecosystems caused by the stressor(s) of concern. According to a Triad approach, the integrated effect indexes combined the information provided by the measurement endpoints of each line of evidence (chemistry/bioavailability, ecology and ecotoxicology) and allowed to analyse the impairment degree highlighted by each measurement endpoint as difference from the reference condition. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) was used for the aggregation of the complementary Triad information, including expert judgement and a weighted procedure based on the endpoint sensitivity and the sensitivity of the test for ecosystem effects. The developed methodology was implemented in the DSS-ERAMANIA, Module 2, and is presented in this paper as "Integrated Effect Indexes" (IEI) sub-module. The latter has been preliminary applied to the Acna di Cengio (Italy) contaminated site; the results of this application are presented and discussed.

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Keywords

Acna di Cengio
 
aggregation
 
analyse
 
chemistry/bioavailability
 
complementary Triad information
 
DSS-ERAMANIA
 
ecosystem effects
 
effect indexes
 
endpoint sensitivity
 
expert judgement
 
integrated effect indexes
 
Italy
 
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis
 
reference condition
 
terrestrial ecosystems
 
Triad approach
 
weighted procedure