Assessment criteria for contaminants in sediment


Metals

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the environmental status of metal concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Effects Range Low (ERL)

BACs were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background.

ERLs were developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for assessing the ecological significance of sediment concentrations. Concentrations below the ERL rarely cause adverse effects in marine organisms.

BACs and ERLs are available for the following metals


BAC BAC ERL
All subregions except
Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz 		Iberian Sea
and Gulf of Cadiz 		All subregions
Arsenic 25      8.2
Cadmium     0.31     0.129   1.2
Chromium 81    81   
Copper 27    34   
Mercury     0.07     0.091     0.15
Nickel 36    21   
Lead 38    22.4    47   
Zinc 122      150     


Notes:

  • units are mg kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs are normalised to 5% aluminium in all subregions except the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz, where BACs are not normalised
  • the ERLs are not normalised, but are assumed to be appropriate for concentrations normalised to 5% aluminium in all subregions apart from the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz, and for non-normalised concentrations in the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz
  • the ERLs for arsenic and nickel are below their respective OSPAR Background Concentrations of 15 and 30 mg kg\(^{-1}\) dw; arsenic and nickel concentrations are only assessed against the BAC
  • the ERL for chromium equals the BAC; chromium concentrations are only assessed against the ERL


Organotins

The Swedish Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) is used to assess the environmental status of TBSN+ concentrations. Concentrations below the EQS should not cause any chronic effects on marine organisms. Further information can be found in the OSPAR background document and the original Swedish technical report.


EQS
TBSN+ 0.8


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • the EQS is normalised to 2.5% organic carbon and is applied in all subregions (including the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz, where time series are assessed using non-normalised concentrations)
  • Background Assessment Concentrations (BACs) have not yet been developed


Polyaromatic hydrocarbons

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the environmental status of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Effects Range Low (ERL)

BACs were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background.

ERLs were developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for assessing the ecological significance of sediment concentrations. Concentrations below the ERL rarely cause adverse effects in marine organisms.

BACs and ERLs are available for the following PAHs


BAC BAC ERL
All subregions except
Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz 		Iberian Sea
and Gulf of Cadiz 		All subregions
Naphthalene    8 160 
Phenanthrene  32  7.3 240 
Anthracene    5  1.8  85
Dibenzothiophene 190 
Fluoranthene  39 14.4  600 
Pyrene  24 11.3  665 
Benz[a]anthracene  16  7.1 261 
Chrysene (Triphenylene)  20  8.0 384 
Benzo[a]pyrene  30  8.2 430 
Benzo[ghi]perylene  80  6.9
Indeno[123-cd]pyrene 103   8.3


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs are normalised to 2.5% organic carbon in all subregions except the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz, where BACs are not normalised
  • the ERLs are not normalised, but are assumed to be appropriate for concentrations normalised to 2.5% organic carbon in all subregions apart from the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz, and for non-normalised concentrations in the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz


Polybrominated diphenyl ethers

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the environmental status of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Federal Environmental Quality Guideline (FEQG)

BACs were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background.

FEQGs were developed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. Concentrations below the FEQG should not cause any chronic effects on marine organisms. For use in the CEMP assessment, the FEQGs have been normalised to 2.5% organic carbon by multiplying the original values by 2.5 (assuming the sediment used in the toxicity trials had an organic carbon content of 1%).

Further information can be found in the OSPAR background documents for BACs and FEQGs,

BACs and FEQGs are available for the following PBDEs


BAC FEQG
BDE28 0.05   110
BDE47 0.05       97.5
BDE66 0.05       97.5
BDE85 0.05       1
BDE99 0.05       1
BD100 0.05       1
BD153 0.05 1100
BD154 0.05 1100
BD183 0.05 14000  
BD209 0.05       47.5


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs and FEQGs are normalised to 2.5% organic carbon and are applied in all subregions (including the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz, where time series are assessed using non-normalised concentrations)


Organobromines (other)

No assessment criteria have yet been agreed.


Polychlorinated biphenyls

Two assessment criteria are used to assess the status of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations: the

  • Background Assessment Concentration (BAC)
  • Environmental Assessment Criteria (EAC)

The assessment criteria were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background. Concentrations below the EAC should not cause any chronic effects on marine organisms.

BACs and EACs are available for the following PCBs


BAC BAC EAC
All subregions except
Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz 		Iberian Sea
and Gulf of Cadiz 		All subregions
CB28 0.22   1.7
CB52 0.12   2.7
CB101 0.14   3.0
CB118 0.17   0.6
CB138 0.15   7.9
CB153 0.19 40   
CB180 0.10 12   


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs are normalised to 2.5% organic carbon
  • the EACs are not normalised, but are assumed to be appropriate for concentrations normalised to 2.5% organic carbon in all subregions apart from the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz, and for non-normalised concentrations in the Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz


Dioxins

No assessment criteria have yet been agreed.


Organochlorines (other)

The Background Assessment Concentration (BAC) is used to assess the environmental status of organochlorine concentrations. BACs The assessment criteria were developed within the Oslo and Paris Commission framework with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Mean concentrations significantly below the BAC are said to be near background.

BACs are available for the following organochlorines


BAC
All subregions except
Iberian Sea and Gulf of Cadiz 		Iberian Sea
and Gulf of Cadiz
DDE (p,p’) 0.09
Dieldrin 0.19
Hexachlorobenzene 0.16
\(\gamma\)-HCH 0.13


Notes:

  • units are \(\mu\)g kg\(^{-1}\) dw
  • BACs are normalised to 2.5% organic carbon