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| Columbia Environmental Research Center |
CERC Research Projects
Status and Trends
BEST
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Large River Monitoring Network
(LRMN) search BEST fish health and contaminant data
from the Mississippi River Basin, Columbia River Basin, Rio Grande Basin, Yukon River Basin
and the U.S. Southeast Rivers
Online, interactive database that includes
fish health from several large river basins of the U.S. View data by species, chemical, river basin, sampling station, fish
health condition, reproductive or molecular biomarkers, and more.
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BEST Publications from CERC
The USGS Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and
Trends (BEST) Program
was initiated, in part, as a revision and expansion of the National Contaminant
Biomonitoring Program (NCBP). One aspect of the BEST program focuses on
monitoring contaminants and effects across broad geographic areas. This approach
is currently being evaluated in the Mississippi, Columbia, Rio Grande, and Yukon
River basins.
The overall objectives of the BEST program are to describe the occurrence and
distribution of contaminants and their effects on fish in large US river basins; to
quantitatively evaluate the performance of aquatic methods used by the BEST
program; and to evaluate potential collaborations with the National Stream
Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN)
and the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA)
programs of the USGS-Water Resources Division. Fish were collected from 46 sites
in the Mississippi River basin (1995); 16 sites in the Columbia River basin
(1997); 10 sites in the Rio Grande basin (1997); 10 sites in the Yukon basin
(2002); and from a reference site in
West Virginia. Sites were located at the historic NCBP fish monitoring stations
when possible; at NASQAN water quality sampling sites in the Columbia and
Rio Grande basins; and at NAWQA sites in the Mississippi Embayment and
Eastern
Iowa Basins study units within the Mississippi River basin. The primary species
targeted at each site were common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and largemouth
bass (Micropterus salmoides) in the Mississippi, Columbia, and Rio Grande
River basins and longnose suckers (Catostomidae) and northern pike (Esox lucius)
in the Yukon River basin; other species, mostly other black basses (Micropterus
spp.), percids (Stizostedion spp.), salmonids, suckers
(Catostomidae), and catfish (Ictaluridae) were collected as alternates,
depending on habitat and location. Individual fish (about 40 per station) were
analyzed for reproductive biomarkers (vitellogenin and sex steroid hormones),
histopathological alterations, macrophage aggregates, EROD activity, lysozyme
activity, and general fish health measures (organosomatic and ponderal indices,
observations of grossly visible lesions, deformities, and parasites).
Organochlorine (pesticides and total PCB’s) and elemental (heavy metals and
metalloids) contaminant analyses and the H4IIE bioassay for dioxin-like activity
were performed on fish samples composited by species and sex.
Developing Guidance for Whole Sediment Toxicity and
Bioaccumulation Tests with Freshwater Invertebrates (Contact:
Chris Ingersoll Toxicology)
Determining the significance of contaminants in sediments to aquatic organisms
is a challenging new topic in environmental toxicology. Mounting evidence exists
of environmental degradation in areas where water quality criteria are not
exceeded, yet organisms are adversely affected. Historically, emphasis has been
placed on evaluating contaminant effects in surface waters, not sediment. Most
assessments of water quality focus on water-soluble compounds, and sediment is
considered a safe repository of sorbed contaminants. This approach emphasizes
testing organisms in the water column without considering the fate of chemicals
in sediment. The assessment of sediment quality is often limited to chemical
characterizations. However, quantifying contaminant concentration alone cannot
provide enough information to adequately evaluate potential adverse effects,
interactions among chemicals, or the time-dependent availability of contaminants
to aquatic organisms. There is a lack of standardized methods for use in
assessing contaminated sediments. Definitive protocols are needed that describe
specific test methods. This cooperative research project between the USGS and USEPA will develop a set of standardized protocols for assessing the
potential effects of contaminated sediments on aquatic ecosystems. These
laboratory tests are an essential component to the tiered testing approach. The
general strategy behind the research is to start with the standardization of
reasonably well-defined test procedures (l0-d acute toxicity tests with benthic
invertebrates), proceeding to less well-defined protocols (bioaccumulation
tests, food chain models, chronic toxicity tests, toxicity identification
evaluation), and ultimately culminating in field validation of the tests.
Because many contaminants of concern in sediments bioaccumulate, this research
will emphasize development and validation of toxicity and bioaccumulation tests
to residue-effect endpoints based on tissue concentrations. Part of this effort
will involve developing toxicokinetic and metabolism models for species exposed
to different classes of representative sediment contaminants. The protocols will
include details for culturing and
testing, including test system design. Also
covered will be the development of a standard reference sediment, procedures for
reference toxicants, procedures for interpreting the effects of abiotic factors
on test results, the results of a relative sensitivity analysis, evaluation of
genetic variability in laboratory cultures, and results of preliminary
round-robin studies.
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