SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1988
STP34045S

An Integrated Fates and Effects Model for Estimation of Risk in Aquatic Systems

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An integrated fate and effects model was developed to mathematically simulate the toxic effects of naphthalene on the growth of interacting populations in an aquatic system. Daily effects on biomass production were calculated for each model population as a function of its dynamic body burden of naphthalene. Separate simulations using constant environmental loading rates of 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, and 0.10 g m−2 d−1 demonstrated changes in production that could not be extrapolated directly from naphthalene toxicity measured for related laboratory populations of aquatic organisms. Estimated risks of 50% reduction in fish production ranged from 0.08 to 0.65 for naphthalene loading rates of 0.000025 to 0.10 g m−2 d−1. Examination of naphthalene flux through the model system indicated that the combined effects of photolysis and volatilization were more important than biological processes in determining the fate of naphthalene for the 0.10 loading rate. This relative importance of physicochemical versus biological processes reversed for the 0.0001 loading rate. At intermediate loading rates, the relative importance of these processes varied seasonally. The integrated model demonstrated potential contributions of population-specific rates of naphthalene uptake and depuration and naphthalene toxicity to estimation of possible ecological risks posed by naphthalene in aquatic systems.

Author Information

Bartell, SM
Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
Gardner, RH
Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
O'Neill, RV
Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
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Details
Developed by Committee: E47
Pages: 261–274
DOI: 10.1520/STP34045S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5043-0
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-0978-0