Applicability of Chronic Multiple Linear Regression Models for Predicting Zinc Toxicity in Australian and New Zealand Freshwaters.

Bioavailability models, for example, multiple linear regressions (MLRs) of water quality parameters, are increasingly being used to develop bioavailability-based water quality criteria for metals. However, models developed for the Northern Hemisphere cannot be adopted for Australia and New Zealand without first validating them against local species and local water chemistry characteristics. We investigated the applicability of zinc chronic bioavailability models to predict toxicity in a range of uncontaminated natural waters in Australia and New Zealand.

Sediment spiking and equilibration procedures to achieve partitioning of uranium similar to contamination in tropical wetlands near a mine site.

The derivation of sediment quality guideline values (SQGVs) presents significant challenges. Arguably the most important challenge is to conduct toxicity tests using contaminated sediments with physico-chemistry that represents real-world scenarios. We used a novel metal spiking method for an experiment that ultimately aims to derive a uranium SQGV.

Derivation of site-specific guideline values for nitrate toxicity in Pilbara receiving waters with high hardness.

The current study aimed to derive site-specific guideline values (SSGVs) for nitrate toxicity that are relevant to high hardness surface waters of the Pilbara region, north-western Australia, many of which receive nitrate-rich mine water discharges. The approach involved deriving SSGVs from a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) based on candidate data sets comprising toxicity data for local Pilbara species tested in local waters and nonlocal species tested under water quality conditions similar to those of local Pilbara waters. Water hardness was identified as the primary toxicity-modifying factor for nitrate that needed to be accounted for, with temperature and pH identified as supporting variables.

Assessing the Toxicity of Mine-Water Mixtures and the Effectiveness of Water Quality Guideline Values in Protecting Local Aquatic Species.

Six tropical freshwater species were used to assess the toxicity of mine waters from a uranium mine adjacent to a World Heritage area in northern Australia. Key contaminants of potential concern for the mine were U, Mg, Mn, and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN). Direct toxicity assessments were carried out to assess whether the established site-specific guideline values for individual contaminants would be protective with the contaminants occurring as mixtures.

Development of a Sublethal Chronic Toxicity Test for the Northern Trout Gudgeon, Mogurnda mogurnda, and Application to Uranium, Magnesium, and Manganese.

Many international guidance documents for deriving water quality guideline values recommend the use of chronic toxicity data. For the tropical fish northern trout gudgeon, Mogurnda mogurnda, 96-h acute and 28-d chronic toxicity tests have been developed, but both tests have drawbacks. The 96-h toxicity test is acute and has a lethal endpoint; hence it is not a preferred method for guideline value derivation.

Elevated Magnesium Concentrations Altered Freshwater Assemblage Structures in a Mesocosm Experiment.

Magnesium (Mg) is a mining-related contaminant in the Alligators Rivers Region of tropical northern Australia. A mesocosm experiment was used to assess Mg toxicity to aquatic freshwater assemblages. Twenty-five 2700-L tubs were arranged, stratified randomly, on the bed of Magela Creek, a seasonally flowing, sandy stream channel in the Alligator Rivers Region of northern Australia.

Acute and chronic toxicity of magnesium to the early life stages of two tropical freshwater mussel species.

Magnesium (Mg) is a common contaminant in mine water discharges. Although Mg is an essential element in biological processes, increased concentrations from anthropogenic sources can stress aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, studies evaluating the effects of Mg on north Australian freshwater species have indicated that in very soft waters there is a high risk to some species.

How Specific Is Site-Specific? A Review and Guidance for Selecting and Evaluating Approaches for Deriving Local Water Quality Benchmarks.

Existing prescriptive guidance on the derivation of local water quality benchmarks (WQBs; e.g., guideline values, criteria, standards) for protecting aquatic ecosystems is limited to only 3 to 4 specific approaches.

Chronic ammonia toxicity to juveniles of 2 tropical Australian freshwater mussels (Velesunio spp.): Toxicity test optimization and implications for water quality guideline values.

Freshwater mussels play key roles in aquatic ecosystems, but are experiencing a global decline. Although studies have reported high acute sensitivity of mussels to some contaminants, chronic toxicity data are lacking for deriving high-reliability water quality guideline values. Ammonia is a contaminant of potential concern in some catchments of tropical northern Australia, where freshwater mussels are important ecological and cultural components.

Freshwater chronic ammonia toxicity: A tropical-to-temperate comparison.

The chronic toxicity of ammonia to tropical freshwater species is understudied, and thus data on temperate species have been used to derive water quality guideline values for tropical regions. Such practices may lead to underprotective guideline values due to differences in toxicities observed between tropical and temperate species. In addition, the presence of ammonia in low-ionic-strength waters may also result in higher toxicity, and studies on this factor are limited.

Assessing chronic toxicity of aluminium, gallium and molybdenum in tropical marine waters using a novel bioassay for larvae of the hermit crab Coenobita variabilis.

A novel bioassay is presented that allows for the estimation of the chronic toxicity of contaminants in receiving tropical marine environments. Relevant procedures to identify contaminants of concern and evaluate hazards associated with contamination in these environments have long remained inadequate. The 6-day bioassay is conducted using freshly hatched planktonic larvae of the hermit crab Coenobita variabilis and is targeted at generating environmentally relevant, chronic toxicity data.

Integrating laboratory and field studies to assess impacts of discharge from a uranium mine and validate a water quality guideline value for magnesium.

Magnesium (Mg) is a primary contaminant in mine water discharges from the Ranger Uranium Mine (north Australia). Site-specific water quality guideline values (WQGVs) for Mg have been derived from laboratory and field studies. Contaminated groundwater with elevated electrical conductivity and metals (Mg, Mn, U, SO , and Ca) was detected flowing from the mine site into adjacent surface waters.

Water quality guideline values for aluminium, gallium and molybdenum in marine environments.

Revised water quality guideline values (WQGVs) are presented for the metals aluminium (Al), gallium (Ga) and molybdenum (Mo) in receiving marine environments. These elements are commonly found in elevated concentrations in alumina refinery waste streams, yet current WQGVs fail to accurately assess the environmental risk. Here, chronic biological effects data we have generated over the course of several years were combined with toxicity data from the open literature to construct species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) which enabled the computation of revised WQGVs for Al, Ga and Mo in marine environments.

Validation of the nickel biotic ligand model for locally relevant species in Australian freshwaters.

Australian freshwaters have relatively low water hardness and different calcium (Ca) to magnesium (Mg) ratios compared with those in Europe. The hardness values of a substantial proportion of Australian freshwaters fall below the application boundary of the existing European nickel biotic ligand models (Ni BLMs) of 2 mg Ca/L. Toxicity testing was undertaken using Hydra viridissima to assess the predictive ability of the existing Ni BLM for this species in extremely soft waters.

Acute ammonia toxicity to the larvae (glochidia) of the tropical Australian freshwater mussel Velesunio spp. Using a modified toxicity test protocol.

Ammonia is recognized as a major pollutant worldwide, originating from natural and anthropogenic sources. Studies have reported that freshwater mussels are among the most sensitive taxa to ammonia, but few data are available on ammonia toxicity for the early life stages of freshwater mussels from tropical regions. We report on the modification of a 24-h acute toxicity test protocol for tropical freshwater mussels and application of the test using ammonia.

Modeling the pH-ammonia toxicity relationship for Hydra viridissima in soft waters with low ionic concentrations.

There are limited data concerning the toxicity of ammonia in fresh soft waters. Ammonia toxicity is largely dependent on pH and temperature. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has derived equations to adjust species toxicity estimates based on changes in pH and temperature.

Assessing the chronic toxicity of copper and aluminium to the tropical sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida.

The world's most productive bauxite mines and alumina refineries are located in tropical or sub-tropical regions. The discharge water from alumina refineries can contain elevated aluminium (Al, <0.45µm fraction), from 30 to 1000μg/L.

Development and implementation of a site-specific water quality limit for uranium in a high conservation value ecosystem.

Water quality guideline values (GVs) are a key tool for water quality assessments. Site-specific GVs, which incorporate data relevant to local conditions and organisms, provide a higher level of confidence that the GV will protect the aquatic ecosystem at a site compared to generic GVs. Site-specific GVs are, therefore, considered particularly suitable for sites of high sociopolitical or ecological importance.

Increasing uranium exposure durations to the aquatic snail Amerianna cumingi does not result in lower toxicity estimates.

Reproductive inhibition (egg production) of the aquatic snail Amerianna cumingi over 4 d has been used to derive toxicity estimates for toxicants of concern in tropical Australia. Toxicity estimates from this test have been used as chronic data points in species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) for deriving site-specific guideline values. However, revised guidance for the Australian and New Zealand Water Quality Guidelines advises that test durations for adult macroinvertebrates should be ≥14 d to be considered chronic.

A novel bioassay using the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite to evaluate chronic effects of aluminium, gallium and molybdenum in tropical marine receiving environments.

A need exists for appropriate tools to evaluate risk and monitor potential effects of contaminants in tropical marine environments, as currently impact assessments are conducted by non-representative approaches. Here, a novel bioassay is presented that allows for the estimation of the chronic toxicity of contaminants in receiving tropical marine environments. The bioassay is conducted using planktonic larvae of the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite and is targeted at generating environmentally relevant, chronic toxicity data for water quality guideline derivation or compliance testing.

A chronic toxicity test for the tropical marine snail Nassarius dorsatus to assess the toxicity of copper, aluminium, gallium, and molybdenum.

Chronic toxicity test methods for assessing the toxicity of contaminants to tropical marine organisms are generally lacking. A 96-h chronic growth rate toxicity test was developed for the larval stage of the tropical dogwhelk, Nassarius dorsatus. Growth rates of N.

Manganese toxicity to tropical freshwater species in low hardness water.

Elevated manganese (Mn) is a common contaminant issue for mine water discharges, and previous studies have reported that its toxicity is ameliorated by H(+), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+) ions. In the present study, the toxicity of Mn was assessed in a high risk scenario, that is, the slightly acidic, soft waters of Magela Creek, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia. Toxicity estimates were derived for 6 tropical freshwater species (Chlorella sp.

Aluminium, gallium, and molybdenum toxicity to the tropical marine microalga Isochrysis galbana.

There is a shortage of established chronic toxicity test methods for assessing the toxicity of contaminants to tropical marine organisms. The authors tested the suitability of the tropical microalga Isochrysis galbana for use in routine ecotoxicology and assessed the effects of 72-h exposures to copper (Cu, a reference toxicant), aluminium (Al), gallium (Ga), and molybdenum (Mo), key metals of alumina refinery discharge, on the growth of I. galbana at 3 temperatures: 24 °C, 28 °C, and 31 °C.

Hydra viridissima (green Hydra) rapidly recovers from multiple magnesium pulse exposures.

The time taken for organisms to recover from a pulsed toxicant exposure is an important consideration when water quality guidelines are applied to intermittent events in the environment. Organisms may appear to have recovered by standard toxicity testing methods but could carry residual toxicant or damage that may make them more sensitive to subsequent pulses. Such cumulative effects may render guidelines underprotective.