Extraction of contaminated sediments using gut fluids from invertebrates has been used to estimate the biologically available fraction of contaminants. This report discusses how the technique might be used to estimate contaminant bioaccumulation and hence has potential as a universal bioaccumulation screening tool for use in the testing of dredged material as part of the Inland Testing Manual. The report details the current status of the field and both the ...
We assayed digestive capabilities of marine deposit feeders (animals that eat sediments) by using fluorescently tagged substrates and contact-angle measurements of surfactancy. Polychaetes on average showed higher enzyme activities and surfactancy than echinoderms. We found that surfactants produced by deposit feeders substantially enhance their abilities to solubilize hydrophobic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Amounts solubilized were consistent with incorporation into micelles of the surfactant. Kinetics of PAH uptake ...
The bioavailability of sedimentary contaminants to animals in harbor sediments was addressed by studying the mechanisms by which animals solubilize contaminants during feeding and digestion. Digestive physiology work on many different animal species revealed patterns of enzymes, surfaotants and dissolved organic matter that correlate with feeding mode, phyletic position, and diet. Incubation of digestive fluids to dissolve contaminants from polluted sediments was developed to provide numerical estimates of bioavailability, and ...
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