Derivation and Demonstration of an Environmentally Relevant Approach for Stormwater Toxicity Testing Compliance Monitoring
Abstract
This report describes a research effort to modify whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing protocols designed for continuous flow discharges for application to episodic and/or ephemeral discharges such as those associated with storm water runoff. The effort was undertaken in response to a Naval Base San Diego industrial stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit (R9-2013-0064) condition that allows the Navy to assess and propose alternative testing parameters. The research was conducted under the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) by environmental toxicologists at the Navy's Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific). In order to gain concurrence and support for pulsed exposure methodologies, the following tasks were conducted: (1) establish of a scientific advisory panel for critical review/debate; (2) extensive literature review and analysis of historical rainfall duration and flow nationwide; (3) demonstration of a standardized pulsed exposure toxicity test procedure for assessment of episodic discharges to amend current US EPA WET test methods; (4) validate the pulsed exposure methods with concurrent traditional end-of-pipe collection and testing methods, in addition to in situ testing in the receiving environment to validate protectiveness; (5) conduct an interlaboratory comparison study to assess the ability of contract laboratories to provide consistent and defensible data using the modified methodology; and (6) present the modified methodology to regional regulators for modification of current toxicity testing methodologies that were originally developed for continuous point source dischargers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1216414
Entities
People
- Adrienne Cibor
- B. C. Stransky
- Bryn Phillips
- Gunther Rosen
- Howard Bailey
- Jerry Diamond
- Marienne Colvin
- Nicholas Hayman
- Tham Hoang
Organizations
- Loyola University Chicago
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
- Tetra Tech
- University of California