Effect of Simulated Weathering and Aging of TNT in Amended Sandy Loam Soil on Toxicity to the Enchytraeid Worm, Enchytreaeus Crypticus
Abstract
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is developing Ecological Soil Screening Levels (Eco-SSLs) for the ecological risk assessment of contaminants at Superfund sites. Insufficient information for TNT to generate Eco-SSL for soil invertebrates has necessitated standardized toxicity testing to fill the data gap. In these studies, the Enchytraeid Reproduction Test (ISO/16387:2001) was adapted for use with Enchytraeus crypticus. Tests were conducted in Sassafras sandy loam soil, which supports relatively high bioavailability of TNT. Weathering/aging procedures for TNT amended to the test soil were included to reflect the exposure conditions in field soils. Definitive toxicity tests conducted with both amended soils showed that the weathering and aging of TNT in amended soil significantly increased toxicity for E. crypticus juvenile production with EC20 and EC50 values 77 and 98 mg kg-1, respectively, in freshly amended soil, and 38 and 48 mg kg-1, respectively, for TNT weathered/aged in amended soil. These study results will be provided to the Eco SSL workgroup for review and inclusion in the Eco-SSL database, and for developing a TNT Eco-SSL for soil invertebrates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA452987
Entities
People
- Carl W. Kurnas
- Carlton T. Phillips
- Jan E. Kolakowski
- Michael Simini
- Roman G Kuperman
- Ronald T. Checkai
Organizations
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Center