National Status and Trends: Bioeffects Program - Sabine Lake, Texas Database

The toxicity of sediments in Sabine Lake, Texas, and adjoining Intracoastal Waterway canals was determined as part of bioeffects assessment studies managed by NOAA's National Status and Trends Program. The study area encompassed all of Sabine Lake, portions of the Sabine River, portions of the Neches River, portions of the Neches-Sabine Canal at the confluence of the two rivers, portions of Sabine Pass channel entrance, and an area in the Gulf of Mexico near the entrance channel. A stratified-random sampling design similar to those used in previous surveys conducted nationwide by NOAA was applied in Sabine Lake. The study area was subdivided into 22 irregular-shaped strata. Strata established within channels were further subdivided into three substrata to improve spatial coverage. Only one location each was sampled within each substratum, whereas three locations were sampled in each of the larger undivided strata.Surficial sediment samples were collected during August, 1995 from 66 randomly-chosen locations. Laboratory toxicity tests were performed as indicators of potential ecotoxicological effects in sediments. A battery of tests was performed to generate information from different phases (components) of the sediments. Tests were selected to represent a range in toxicological endpoints from acute to chronic sublethal responses. Toxicological tests were conducted to measure: reduced survival of adult amphipods exposed to solid-phase sediments; impaired fertilization success and abnormal morphological development in gametes and embryos, respectively, of sea urchins exposed to pore waters; reduced metabolic activity of a marine bioluminescent bacteria exposed to organic solvent extracts; and induction of a cytochrome P-450 reporter gene system in exposures to solvent extracts of the sediments.Chemical analyses were performed on portions of each sample to quantify the concentrations of trace metals, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and chlorinated organic compounds. Correlation analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between measures of toxicity and concentrations of potentially toxic substances in the samples.The full report is available online at http://www.ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/musselmethods.aspx

Specific objectives of the study were to: (1) the incidence and degree of toxicity of sediments throughout the study area; (2) the spatial patterns (or gradients) in chemical contamination and toxicity, if any, throughout the study area; (3) the spatial extent of chemical contamination and toxicity; (4) the statistical relationships between measures of toxicity and concentrations of chemicals in the sediments. The dataset objective is to report information about chemical residues in sediment, sediment toxicity, and benthic infauna characteristics of the system.

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PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS Edward Long, NOAA Ocean Service, National Status and Trends Program; Jawed Hameedi, NOAA Ocean Service, National Status and Trends Program; Michelle Harmon, NOAA Ocean Service, National Status and Trends Program; Gail Sloane, Florida Department of Environmental Protection; Scott Carr, US Geological Survey; James Biedenbach, US Geological Survey; Tom Johnson, US Geological Survey; John Scott, Science Applications International Corporation; Cornelia Mueller, Science Applications International Corporation; Jack Anderson, Columbia Analytical Services, Inc.; Terry Wade, Texas A and M University; Bobby Presley, Texas A and M University SAMPLE COLLECTION INVESTIGATORS Michelle Harmon, NOAA Ocean Service, National Status and Trends Program; Edward Long, NOAA Ocean Service, National Status and Trends Program SAMPLE PROCESSING INVESTIGATORS - Contaminant analyses: Organic and inorganic chemicals in sediment: Texas A and M University, Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, College Station, TX SAMPLE PROCESSING INVESTIGATORS - Benthos: Barry A. Vittor and Associates, Inc., 8060 Cottage Hill Road, Mobile, AL 36695 Report: http://www.nbi.noaa.gov/ SAMPLE PROCESSING INVESTIGATORS - Toxicity and Bioassays: MicroTox Assay: Tests were run by the US Geological Survey (Columbia Environmental Research Center, Marine Ecotoxicology Research Station, Texas A and M University, Corpus Christi, TX 78412), using extracts prepared by ABC Laboratories, Columbia, MO. Sea Urchin Assay: US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Marine Ecotoxicology Research Station, Texas A and M University, Corpus Christi, TX 78412. Amphipod Assays: Science Applications International Corporation, Narragansett, RI. P450 Human Reporter Gene System: Columbia Analytical Services, Inc., Carlsbad, CA.

The dataset is composed of relational files each listed below. The "SITES" data file reports information regarding the planned sampling locations and the actual locations. The geographical information provided for a sampling site (the estuary stratum and site) is useful when interpreting the results of other data files. Link for the SITES data http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/ba/Sites/SAL_Site.txt The "INDICATOR" data file reports the results of analyses for chemical/microbial analytes, toxicity endpoints, and benthic infauna indices. Link for the INDICATOR data dictionary http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/download.aspx

NOAA National Status and Trends Program

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MEASUREMENT QUALITY OBJECTIVESSite location - Field logistics were conducted aboard the NOAA Ship Ferrell and its launch. Vessel positioning and navigation were aided with a differential-corrected, Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and a compensated LORAN C unit. The two systems generally agreed well when both were operational. Coordinates are expressed in units to the nearest 0.0001 decimal degrees. An acceptable tolerance goal for siting was that the sampling location be established within 0.2nm (+/- 120ft) of the given coordinates. In the event the vessel could not navigate to the site (i.e., too shallow) or the bottom type was not appropriate (i.e., rock or shellfish bed) then the first alternate site was substituted. In the event the first alternate could not be sampled then the second alternate site was sampled. Organic and Inorganic Contaminants - The measurement quality objectives of the Sabine Lake Project specify accuracy and precision requirements of 30% for organic analytes and 15% for inorganic analytes in sediment samples. Water column measurements - Depth was recorded from the vessel's instrumentation to the nearest 0.1 foot.Benthic taxonomy-The minimum acceptable sorting efficiency was 95%. The minimum acceptable taxonomic efficiency was 95%.

Data are believed to be complete

All chemical contaminant values have been rounded to three significant digits. To accommodate the wide range of values, all concentration values have been formatted to the thousandth unit (0.001). The actual precision is as listed below. Metals, variable ug/g; Butlytins 0.01 ng Sn/g; PAHs 0.1 ng/g; PCBs 0.01 ng/g; Pesticides 0.01 ng/g; DATA QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCEDURES Organic and Inorganic Contaminants - QA procedures include blanks, spiked samples, and standard reference materials with each batch of samples. Any batch failing to meet the specifications presented in Section 9.1 would be reanalyzed or rejected. Benthic taxonomy- At a minimum, 10 percent of all samples were resorted and recounted on a regular basis. Ten percent of samples were randomly selected and re-identified. A voucher collection composed of representative individuals of each species encountered in the project was accumulated and retained.