M. Carmen Casado Martinez

Swiss Centre For Applied Ecotoxicology

For an ecotoxicological screening of recently deposited sediments, samples were collected from Ho Chi Minh City’s canals in August 2015. The sediments were characterized by physico-chemical analysis of metals, PAHs, PCBs, and other organic micropollutants, and standard sediment toxicity testing. The results showed that the sediments from the canals...

This document aims to establish a common understanding on the role of sediment in achieving the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, and to provide guidance on how to address pressures on sediment quantity and sediment contamination, in the context of the River Basin Management Plans, and also other policies’ planning instruments. It covers...

Toxicokinetic (TK) models have been developed to describe the bioaccumulation of chemicals in organisms. They are used as the first step to evaluate the toxicity of a contaminant in environmental risk assessment (ERA) and are developed to provide a theorical framework for understanding the link between exposure and accumulation by the biota, testin...

A preparatory study was performed for the development of a sediment quality and risk assessment strategy for Switzerland addressing the following questions: the sediment fraction to be analyzed chemically (<63 µm or alternatively <2 mm); the suitability of using perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as an indicator of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substan...

Purpose Basing decisions for the management of contaminated sediments on ecotoxicological data is still often met with skepticism by European stakeholders. These concerns are discussed as they pertain to bioassays to show how ecotoxicological data may provide added value for the sustainable management of sediment in aquatic systems. Materials and...

The authors would like [...]

Aquatic oligochaetes, comprising a large number of species showing various degrees of resistance to chemical pollution, are recognized as valuable bioindicators of sediments' quality. In the Geneva area (Switzerland), oligochaete tools were previously tested for assessing the biological quality of stream sediments, and effect thresholds of combined...

Environmental risk assessment associated with aquatic and terrestrial contamination is mostly based on predicted or measured environmental concentrations of a limited list of chemicals in a restricted number of environmental compartments. High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) can provide a more comprehensive picture of exposure to harmful chemic...

Surface sediments can accumulate contaminants that affect microorganisms and invertebrates and disturb benthic ecological functions. However, effects of contaminants on ecological functions supported by sediment communities are understudied. Here, we tested the relevance of two simple tools to assess the ecotoxicological effects of metal contaminat...

Les risques que présentent les sédiments contaminés pour les écosystèmes aquatiques peuvent passer inaperçus s'ils ne sont pas pris en considération dans le suivi de la qualité des masses d'eau. Une approche intégrée de l'évaluation de la qualité des sédiments a été appliquée dans cinq petits cours d'eau drainant des bassins versants sous l'influen...

Les sédiments ont un rôle écologique essentiel pour de nombreuses espèces aquatiques. Toutefois, leur capacité à capter les polluants persistants peut participer à long terme à la contamination des milieux aquatiques. Aussi, afin de mieux prendre en compte les impacts écotoxicologiques de la contamination des sédiments et appréhender le risque écol...

The Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) directive was an important improvement of long-term water quality monitoring at the European level, leading to the use of sediments and biota as relevant matrices for assessing priority substances under the European Water Framework directive. Currently, commonly accepted sediment EQS for Hg are missing in E...

Les sédiments ont un rôle écologique essentiel pour de nombreuses espèces aquatiques. Toutefois, leur capacité à capter les polluants persistants peut participer à long terme à la contamination des milieux aquatiques. Aussi, afin de mieux prendre en compte les impacts écotoxicologiques de la contamination des sédiments et appréhender le risque écol...

In Switzerland, surface waters are protected by the Swiss Water Protection Ordinance (OEaux; OFEV 1998), which stipulates that the water quality shall be such that the water, suspended matter, and sediments contain no persistent synthetic substances to ensure the protection of aquatic life. Local agencies are in charge of water quality monitoring,...

The first French-Swiss workshop on ecotoxicology of freshwater sediment communities was co-organized by the French Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (Irstea) and the Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology (Ecotox Centre EAWAG-EPFL) in Villié-Morgon (Beaujolais Region, France) on April 27–28, 2017. The work...

The toxicity test using freshwater ostracods of the species Heterocypris incongruens is a sub-chronic static test that exposes individuals to whole sediments over a period of 6 d, the endpoints being mortality and growth. We tested the hypothesis that endpoints of the sediment bioassay using Heterocypris incongruens are affected by the presence of...

Les risques que présentent les sédiments contaminés pour les écosystèmes aquatiques peuvent passer inaperçus si ils ne sont pas pris en considération dans le suivi de la qualité des masses d’eau ou dans les enquêtes. Une approche intégrée de l’évaluation de la qualité des sédiments est appliquée dans le cours inférieur de la Venoge.

The Venoge is a small river flowing into Lake Geneva, the largest water body of Switzerland. Previous monitoring campaigns have shown increased concentrations of PCBs in fishes, which were reported to exceed maximum levels set by the European Union for human consumption. Water quality of the river is well characterized, both in terms of chemical co...

A whole-sediment toxicity test with Myriophyllum aquaticum has been developed by the German Federal Institute of Hydrology and standardized within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO, ISO 16191). An international ring-test was performed to evaluate the precision of the test method. Four sediments (artificial, natural) were teste...

L’interprétation des résultats d’analyses chimiques d’échantillons environnementaux de sédiments nécessite l’accès à des valeurs de référence ou à des critères de qualité consensuels. Suite à notre publication dans Aqua & Gas 4/2012, des demandes de précisions nous ont été adressées concernant les critères de qualité des sédiments pour les polychlo...

Although they are an important part of an aquatic ecosystem, dicotyledonous macrophytes are not yet part of the risk assessment of sediments or dredged material. A sediment contact test system with the dicotyledonous watermilfoil Myriophyllum aquaticum was established by the ecotoxicological laboratory of the German Federal Institute of Hydrology....

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare three approaches for providing information on the bioaccumulation potential of metals from contaminated sediments to the deposit-feeding polychaete Arenicola marina. Materials and methods We present metal (Ag, As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) bioaccumulation results from field-collected sediments quantified th...

The accumulation, subcellular distribution and speciation of arsenic in the polychaete Arenicola marina were investigated under different laboratory exposure conditions representing a range of metal bioavailabilities, to gain an insight into the physiological mechanisms of how A. marina handles bioaccumulated arsenic and to improve our understandin...

Environmental context Models that explain the uptake and bioaccumulation of an element in an aquatic ecosystem are valuable for predicting its potential ecotoxicity in coastal areas. Arsenic is a toxic element that is strongly adsorbed to sediments, offering a potential risk to deposit-feeding invertebrates, and ultimately to consumers higher up co...

We followed the net accumulation of As, Cu and Zn in the deposit-feeding polychaete Arenicola marina exposed in the laboratory to natural metal-contaminated sediments, one exposure leading to mass mortality between day 10 and 20, and the other not causing lethality over a period of 60 days of exposure. The worms showed lower total accumulated metal...

Arsenic bioaccumulation in the deposit-feeding polychaete Arenicola marina has been investigated using biodynamic modelling. Radiotracer techniques were used to determine the rates of uptake of As as arsenate from water and sediment and its subsequent efflux in the laboratory. Lugworms accumulated As from solution linearly at concentrations of 2-20...

The use of biodynamic models to understand metal uptake directly from sediments by deposit-feeding organisms still represents a special challenge. In this study, accumulated concentrations of Cd, Zn and Ag predicted by biodynamic modelling in the lugworm Arenicola marina have been compared to measured concentrations in field populations in several...

Radiotracer techniques were used to determine the rates of trace metal (Ag, Cd and Zn) uptake and elimination (33 psu, 10 degrees C) from water and sediment by the deposit-feeding polychaete Arenicola marina, proposed as a test species for estuarine-marine sediments in whole-sediment toxicity tests. Metal uptake rates from solution increase with in...

This paper summarises the performance of simple multivariate exploratory analyses to investigate on their potential application for dredged material characterization and management. The data from 25 sampling stations located at 7 different Spanish ports, produced a matrix consisting of 300 observations on 10 variables: the metals Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni...

This paper presents the results of investigations on the suitability of lugworms (Arenicola marina) to study the bioaccumulation potential of Hg, PCB and PAH compounds from dredged sediments upon laboratory exposure. The results of tissue concentrations for several sediments from Spanish ports showed that it is possible to identify increased levels...

Sediments are an essential component of aquatic ecosystems that must be assessed and managed properly. The use of quantitative environmental quality standards derived from consideration of sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) can be effective as part of a tiered risk assessment approach. In Part I of this 2-part paper addressing sediment quality asse...

When sediments are removed from aquatic bottoms, they turn into dredged material that must be managed, taking into account its environmental impact. In Part II of this 2-part paper addressing sediment quality assessment and dredged material management in Spain, legislation and criteria used to regulate dredged material disposal at sea in different...

The sensitivity of the benthic amphipod species Ampelisca brevicornis and Corophium volutator to dredged sediments was compared through simultaneous testing on the standard 10 days sediment toxicity test. The results of mortality obtained for 22 harbor sediments sampled at several Spanish ports were studied together with the physico-chemical charac...

Since 1994 the results of the analyses of key chemical compounds (trace metals, polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and the comparison with the corresponding sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) are used in decision-making for dredged material management in Spain. Nonetheless in the last decades a tiered testing approach i...

Surface sediments from two ports affected by mining activities (Cartagena and Huelva were characterised following the traditional physicochemical characterisation based on contaminant concentrations together with laboratory toxicity tests. The toxicity tests included acute and chronic methodologies both on the whole sediment and on the sediment elu...

Intermoult female crabs (Carcinus maenas) were used to evaluate the bioavailability of metals in sediments from three Spanish estuaries. Animals were exposed to the different sediments per replicate in glass aquaria during 21 days. A chemical analysis of the sampling sites was performed to determine the degree and nature of contamination. Salinity,...

Dredged material contamination was assessed in different commercial ports from Spain: Port of Cádiz and Huelva, South West; Bilbao and Pasajes, North; Cartagena and Barcelona, East; Coruña, North West. Sediment from different locations of these ports was sampled and was characterized following the Spanish recommendations for dredged material manage...

The present paper reports the results of an interlaboratory variability study of a bioassay using larval stages of the marine sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. This exercise was developed in two different phases and included four laboratories, each of which determined the toxicity of six sediment samples. The samples were collected from different S...

The present paper reports the results of an interlaboratory variability study of a bioassay using larval stages of the marine sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. This exercise was developed in two different phases and included four laboratories, each of which determined the toxicity of six sediment samples. The samples were collected from different S...

Several species of bivalves and procedures have been used to characterize sediment toxicity. Here we report the results of an interlaboratory exercise that included three different laboratories to evaluate the use of the bioassay using the commercial clam Ruditapes philippinarum. Six different dredged sediments were studied using two different endp...

The present paper reports the results of an interlaboratory variability study of a bioassay using larval stages of the marine sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. This exercise was developed in two different phases and included four laboratories, each of which determined the toxicity of six sediment samples. The samples were collected from different S...

To ensure that toxicity bioassays comply with national criteria, an interlaboratory study was carried out that focussed mainly on the development, optimization and validation of methods for dredged material toxicity assessment. The performance of these techniques was assessed in a validation study and the results were compared with the traditional...

Interlaboratory variability was studied for the bioassay using crustacean amphipods. Nine series of data were obtained from different laboratories using four different species (Ampelisca brevicornis, Corophium volutator, Corophium multisetosum and Microdeutopus gryllotalpa), all previously used for sediment toxicity assessment in Spain. Results wer...

The results of an interlaboratory assessment made to evaluate the use of different bioassays for sediment quality characterization for a regulatory purpose are presented. The objective of the study was to determine the main differences among sediment bioassays conducted at different laboratories and to evaluate how this can influence dredged materi...

The Microtox ® bioassay was tested in an interlaboratory study to evaluate the variability when using solid-phase samples. The exercise consisted of two consecutive phases each one carried out with six sediment samples from Spanish ports. Phase I included six laboratories that reported results for the solid-phase test (SPT) protocol, while Phase II...

Interlaboratory variability was studied for the bioassay using crustacean amphipods. Nine series of data were obtained from different laboratories using four different species (Ampelisca brevicornis, Corophium volutator, Corophium multisetosum and Microdeutopus gryllotalpa), all previously used for sediment toxicity assessment in Spain. Results wer...

Introducción El bioensayo con crustáceos anfípodos se ha convertido en un ensayo de referencia para la caracterización de sedimentos contaminados y material de dragado, y es usado rutinariamente para evaluar los efectos biológicos potenciales de este tipo de muestras ambientales. Existen en la actualidad protocolos estandarizados (ASTM 1991, Enviro...

The Microtox® bioassay was tested in an interlaboratory study to evaluate the variability when using solid-phase samples. The exercise consisted of two consecutive phases each one carried out with six sediment samples from Spanish ports. Phase I included six laboratories that reported results for the solid-phase test (SPT) protocol, while Phase II...

The purpose of the amphipod solid‐phase toxicity test is to determine if test sediment samples reduce survival (growth, reproduction, etc.) of exposed organisms relative to that of organisms exposed to control and reference sediment. Test results are reported as treatment (station) or combination of treatments (sites or chemicals) that produce stat...

During recent years, different initiatives have been carried out to use multiple lines of evidence with the aim to assess sediment quality in aquatic ecosystems. One of the most useful and widely used methods was the design and application of integrative assessments to establish sediment quality (1). These methods comprise the synoptic use of diffe...

In this work, sediment samples collected from several Spanish harbours were tested with two toxicity procedures, designed for solid samples: the Microtox Basic Solid-Phase Test (BSPT) and a modified procedure of the previous test protocol (mBSPT). According to the BSPT procedure, after initial light readings, pure bacteria were exposed to sediment...

Dredged material management in Spain and possible options for the different categories is discussed according to chemical sediment quality guidelines. Also an approach using an integrated assessment that includes biological end points as part of a tiered testing schema is discussed for future implementation in Spanish recommendations. To establish...

Different conventions around the world have produced guidelines for the disposal of dredged material (e.g., London Convention 1972 (LC) (www.Londonconvention.org); Oslo/Paris Convention (OSPAR) (www.ospar.org); and, the Helsinki and Barcelona Conventions). They suggest the use of different methodologies from physico-chemical to biological approache...

After the Aznalcóllar mining spill (April, 1998) different ecosystems along the Guadiamar river and the Guadalquivir estuary were impacted by high concentrations of metals. The concentration of metals Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu and As has been detected as a good tracer of the pathway of the toxic spill. Different individuals of the fish Solea senegalensis and...

We describe the effect of heavy metals Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu on the induction of methallothioneins on the clam Scrobicularia plana along a salinity gradient simulated under laboratory conditions. The clams were exposed to constant heavy metal concentrations in a dynamic estuary simulator during a 15-day assay to investigate possible induction of metal-...

The knowledge of the reproduction and growth background related to the shore crab Carcinus maenas promotes the use of this crab as a model crustacean to asses the potential for endocrine disruption in crustaceans. In addition, an enzyme linked inmunosorbent assay (ELISA), sensitive to the shore crab vitellogenin in serial hemolymph samples allows d...

Sediments from the Atlantic coast of Spain have been studied to evaluate environmental quality by using an integrated approach including chemical and toxicological data. Sediment samples were collected in four littoral ecosystems located in Spain, Bay of Cádiz, Guadalquivir River estuary, Ría of Huelva, and Ría of Coruña. To characterize the sedime...

The results of an interlaboratory assessment made to evaluate the use of different bioassays for sediment quality characterization for a regulatory purpose are presented. The objective of the study was to determine the main differences among sediment bioassays conducted at different laboratories and to evaluate how this can influence dredged materi...

Several species of bivalves and procedures have been used to characterize sediment toxicity. Here we report the results of an interlaboratory exercise that included three different laboratories to evaluate the use of the bioassay using the commercial clam Ruditapes philippinarum. Six different dredged sediments were studied using two different endp...

To ensure that toxicity bioassays comply with national criteria, an interlaboratory study was carried out that focussed mainly on the development, optimization and validation of methods for dredged material toxicity assessment. The performance of these techniques was assessed in a validation study and the results were compared with the traditional...