Sediment Test Systems

Test organism

• Harlequin Fly (Chironomus riparius)

Test principle

• In this test, the effect of chemicals and sediment samples on chironomid development and mortality is investigated.
• The animals are exposed to the samples for a period of 7 (AFNOR, 2004) or 10 (OECD, 2004 a,b) days for the growth test and for a period of 28 days for the emergence test (OECD, 2004 a,b).
• A whole life cycle toxicity test for spiked sediment (or water) at two concentrations is also available (OECD, 2010).

Analysed parameters

• Larval growth (length or weight)
• Mortality
• Emergence of the midges and sex ratio
• Reproduction (number and fertility of eggs)

Test duration

• 7/10 days or 28 days (twice as long for a 2-generation test)

Relevance

• Important to determine the sediment toxicity
• Benthic invertebrate, occurs in rivers and standing water bodies
• Dominant primary consumer and important prey organism

Guidelines and literature

1. AFNOR XP T90-339-1 (2004). Qualité de l’eau. Détermination de la toxicité des sédiments d’eau douce vis-à-vis de Chironomus riparius. Partie 1 : Sédiments naturels
2. OECD (2004a). Guideline for testing of chemicals 218: Sediment-water chironomid toxicity test using spiked sediment.
3. OECD (2004b). Guideline for testing of chemicals 219: Sediment-water chironomid toxicity test using spiked water.
4. OECD (2010). Guideline for testing of chemicals 233: Sediment-Water Chironomid Life-Cycle Toxicity Test Using Spiked Water or Spiked Sediment.
5. ASTM (1994). Standard Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Freshwater Invertebrates.
6. Environnement Canada, 1997. Méthode d’essai biologique: essai de survie et de croissance des larves dulcicoles de chironomes (Chironomus tentans ou Chironomus riparius) dans les sédiments.

Test organism

• Harlequin Fly (Chironomus riparius)

Test principle

• This test investigates the effect of chemicals on the mortality of chironomid larvae. The test is performed during the water stage.
• The animals (1st larval stage) are exposed to the samples for a period of 1 to 2 days (OECD, 2011).

Analysed parameters

• Mortality

Test duration

• 1 to 2 days

Guidelines and literature

• Weltje L, Rufli H, Heimbach F, Wheeler J, Vervliet-Scheebaum M, Hamer M (2010). The chironomid acute toxicity test: Development of a new test system. Integr. Environ. Assess. Manag. 6:301-307.
• OECD (2011). Guideline for Testing of Chemicals 235. Chironomus sp., Acute Immobilisation Test.

Test organism

• Parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

Test principle

• The effect of chemicals on the growth of this aquatic plant is determined after 10 days of exposure to spiked or naturally contaminated sediments. Chemical exposure occurs through the porewater and sediment particles.

Analysed parameters

• Growth, measured as weight.
• Additional endpoints: length and number of new shoots and roots, other symptoms such as chlorosis or necrosis.

Test duration

• 10 d

Relevance

• Submerged macrophytes provide important ecosystem services, being important functional and structural elements of aquatic systems. They are crucial for the nutrient cycle, assure the primary production, and provide food and habitat for other organisms.
• This is one of the few sediment contact tests to represent a primary producer in the trophic chain of the biotest battery.
• This test can be used for the risk assessment of phytotoxic substances (herbicides) but also for the evaluation of contaminated sediments within monitoring programmes.

Guidelines and literature

ISO 16191 (2013). Water quality-Determination of the toxic effect of sediment on the growth behaviour of Myriophyllum aquaticum

Davies J, Dohmen P, Arts GHP (2011) A proposed OECD test guideline for the submerged, sediment-rooted macrophyte, Myriophyllum. In: Navigating environmental challenges: historical lessons guiding future directions, SETAC, 32nd annual meeting, Boston, USA, 13 - 17 November, 2011.

Feiler et al. (2012) Sediment contact test with Myriophyllum aquaticum (ISO/DIS 16191): first results of an international ring test. In: Securing a sustainable future: integrating science, policy and people, SETAC, 6th world congress / SETAC Europe 22nd annual meeting, Berlin, 20 - 24 May, 2012.

Feiler U, Kirchesch I, Heininger P (2004) A new plant-based bioassay for aquatic sediments. J Soils Sediments 4, 261-266.

Test organism

• Freshwater ostracods Heterocypris incongruens

Test principle

• The effect of chemicals on the mortality and growth of this epibenthic crustacean is determined after 6 days of exposure to spiked or naturally contaminated sediments.

Analysed parameters

• Growth, measured as length

Test duration

• 6 d

Relevance and advantages

• Ostracods are present in almost all aquatic environments, within the water column and on (and in) the sediment substrate. H. incongruens is a cosmopolitan ostracod species
• Standard test organism for determining the toxicity of fresh water sediments
• The test requires minimal sample volume for testing
• Similar sensitivity to other standard test systems

Guidelines and literature

• ISO 14371 (2012). Water quality - Determination of fresh water sediment toxicity to Heterocypris incongruens (Crustacea, Ostracoda)
• Chial-Belgis Z. Persoone G, Blaise C (2003) Cyst-based toxicity tests XVI––sensitivity comparison of the solid phase Heterocypris incongruens microbiotest with the Hyalella azteca and Chironomus riparius contact assays on freshwater sediments from Peninsula Harbour (Ontario, Canada). Chemopshere 52, 95-101