Application of the equilibrium partitioning method to derive copper and zinc quality criteria for water and sediment: A South African perspective

This paper presents the use of an equilibrium partitioning CEP) method to d erive generic quality criteria. Quality criteria for dissolved concentratio ns in water, total water concentrations and total sediment concentrations w ere derived from direct effect data (aquatic toxicity data) and product sta ndard data (human consumption standards). Both sets of data were obtained f rom physico-chemical and bioaccumulation field measurements in the Olifants and Selati Rivers. South African water quality guidelines and South Africa n product standards. Emphasis is laid on the relation between effect and lo cal physicochemical data. Examples have been given for copper and zinc. Eve n with the acknowledged shortcomings of the EP methods the derived quality criteria for water and sediments were comparable to quality criteria from o ther countries.