Ecological evaluation of proposed discharge of dredged material from Oakland Harbor into ocean waters (Phase 3 A of -42-foot project)

• Main Authors: Ward, J A, Word, J Q, Pinza, M R, Mayhew, H L, Barrows, E S, Lefkovitz, L F
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: 63 RADIATION; THERMAL; AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; HARBORS; DREDGING; SEDIMENTS; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; TOXICITY; TOXIC MATERIALS; BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION; ARSENIC; BIOASSAY; CLAMS; COMPILED DATA; LARVAE; METALS; OYSTERS; POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS; POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS; SHRIMP; ANIMALS; AQUATIC ORGANISMS; AROMATICS; ARTHROPODS; CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS; CRUSTACEANS; DATA; DECAPODS; ELEMENTS; HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS; HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; HYDROCARBONS; INFORMATION; INVERTEBRATES; MATERIALS; MOLLUSCS; NUMERICAL DATA; ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; SEMIMETALS; Pacific; Crassostrea gigas; Pacific oyster
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6967956; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6967956; https://doi.org/10.2172/6967956

The Battelle/Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) conducted a study to determine whether dredged sediments from Oakland Inner and Outer Harbors were suitable for ocean disposal. Nineteen test treatments, six reference treatments, and three control treatments were tested for physical/chemical parameters, water column effects, dredged- sediment toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential. Physical/chemical parameters were analyzed at each site and each composite sediment to a depth of -44 ft MLLW. These parameters included analysis for geological characteristics, conventional sediment measurements (grain size, total volatile solids, total organic carbon, oil and grease, and total petroleum hydrocarbons), metals,, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, butyltins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Physical/chemical data were used in support of the toxicological and bioaccumulation testing, but were not used in the decision-making criteria described in the Draft Implementation manual under Tier III testing. To evaluate water column effects, MSL conducted suspended-particulate-phase (SPP) test using the mysid shrimp Holmesimysis sculpta, speckled sanddab citharichtys stigmaeus, and larvae of the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Both a 48-h and a 96-h test were performed. The MSL evaluated dredged-sediment toxicity by conducting a total of eight solid-phase toxicity tests using the following organisms: the bivalve clam Macoma nasuta, the polychaete worm Nepthys caecoides, the speckled sanddab C. stigmaeus, and the amphipod Rhepoxynius abronius. Test duration ranged from 10 to 28 days. Bioaccumulation potential was evaluated in the 28-day M. Nasuta and N. caecoides solid-phase exposures by measuring the contaminants of concern present in their tissues after exposure to test, reference, and control sediments. This report contains the data and test results.