Ge. Batley et al., Acceptability of aquatic toxicity data for the derivation of water qualityguidelines for metals, MAR FRESH R, 50(8), 1999, pp. 729-738
The requirement for appropriate quality assurance and quality control in sc
ientific measurements makes it essential that the results of toxicity testi
ng be acceptable from both a chemical and a biological perspective. Whereas
biological aspects have generally been satisfactorily addressed, this has
not always been so with respect to chemistry. This paper reviews the areas
where toxicity testing protocols for metals in natural waters can be defici
ent. These begin with the choice of test container, and include both physic
al and chemical aspects of metal-organism interactions that may alter both
the bioavailable concentration and the toxic response. The need to consider
speciation is emphasized, including the effects of organic complexation, p
H, hardness and alkalinity, especially with high metal concentrations and h
igh pH values. The difficulties in using uncensored toxicity data from the
literature for the development of water quality guidelines are discussed.