ASSESSMENT OF SEDIMENT QUALITY IN DREDGED AND UNDREDGED AREAS OF THE TRENTON CHANNEL OF THE DETROIT RIVER, MICHIGAN USA, USING THE SEDIMENTQUALITY TRIAD

Citation
Jm. Besser et al., ASSESSMENT OF SEDIMENT QUALITY IN DREDGED AND UNDREDGED AREAS OF THE TRENTON CHANNEL OF THE DETROIT RIVER, MICHIGAN USA, USING THE SEDIMENTQUALITY TRIAD, Journal of Great Lakes research, 22(3), 1996, pp. 683-696
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Water Resources",Limnology
ISSN journal
03801330
Volume
22
Issue
3
Year of publication
1996
Pages
683 - 696
Database
ISI
SICI code
0380-1330(1996)22:3<683:AOSQID>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
The ''sediment quality triad'' approach was used to assess the effects of dredging on the sediment quality of a new marina in the Trenton Ch annel of the Detroit River, and to evaluate spatial and temporal varia tion in sediment quality in the Trenton Channel. Samples were collecte d in November of 1993 (10 months after dredging) and characterized by chemical analysis, sediment bioassays, and assessment of benthic inver tebrate communities. The three study components indicated little diffe rence in sediment quality at dredged sires in the marina relative to n earby areas in the Trenton Channel, and little change in sediment qual ity of Trenton Channel sites relative to conditions reported in the mi d-1980s. These results suggest that improvement in sediment quality in the Trenton Channel, due to dredging or natural processes, will depen d on elimination of sediment ''hot spots'' and other upstream contamin ant sources. Concentrations of chemical contaminants, especially metal s and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, exceeded concentrations associ ated with effects on biota and were significantly correlated with resu lts of sediment bioassays and characteristics of benthic communities. Laboratory sediment bioassays with Hyalella azteca and Chironomus tent ans produced better discrimination among sites with differing degrees of contamination than did characterization of benthic communities, whi ch were dominated by oligochaetes at all sites in the marina and the T renton Channel.