Bioavailability and Toxicity of Ionic Organic Compounds in Estaurine Sediments

9810112 Burgos这是一项支持研究的奖项，其目标是开发一种方法来预测河口沉积物中离子有机化合物的吸附、生物利用度和毒性，该方法基于科学可靠的数学模型，该模型将具有污染意义的化合物的化学性质与它们对生物活性的影响（如它们的降解率和毒性）联系起来。在这项研究中采用的方法包括使用细颗粒的有机涂层矿物作为环境相关的模型吸附剂。这项工作将使用的矿物是高岭石和赤铁矿。所选择的离子型多环芳烃化合物结构相似，因此表现出相似的毒性作用模式，这是使用定量构效关系分析结果的先决条件。与普吉特海湾海军造船厂的人员合作，将使用来自普吉特海湾辛克莱湾的沉积物样品制备测试化合物降解培养物的富集培养物。本研究解决的问题可能适用于使用雨水、河口和毒性模型，以评估对沿海水域构成污染威胁的活动的生态风险，以及对环境重要的水生沉积物管理系统的工程设计。预计这项工作的结果将改善对河口沉积物中有机污染物命运的预测，并估计将这些物质留在原地和将它们转移到另一个地点所造成的环境风险。研究结果还可以深入了解漫射和非点源污染物在影响沉积物质量方面的作用，以及减少或消除其对水质不利影响的方法。＊＊＊

9810112 Burgos This is an award to support research, the goal of which is to develop a means to predict the sorption, bioavailability and toxicity of ionic organic compounds in estuarine sediments based on scientifically credible mathematical models that relate chemical properties of chemical compounds of pollutional significance to their effect on biological activity such as their rate of degradation and toxicity. The approach being taken in this research involves use of fine-grained, organic-coated minerals as environmentally relevant model sorbents. The minerals to be used in this work are kaolinite and hematite. The ionic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons compounds selected for study are structurally similar and consequently exhibit a similar mode of toxic action, a prerequisite for analyzing results using quantitative structure-activity relationships. Enrichment cultures of test compound-degrading cultures will be prepared using sediment samples from the Sinclair Inlet in Puget Sound obtained in cooperation with the personnel from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. This research addresses issues that may be applied in use of storm water, estuary and toxicity models in assessing ecological risk of activities posing a pollutional threat to coastal waters and in engineering design of systems for management of environmentally significant aquatic sediments. Results of this work are expected to improve prediction of the fate of organic contaminants in estuarine sediments and to estimate the environmental risk posed by leaving these materials in place and as a consequence of moving them to an alternative location. Results may also provide insights into the role pollutants from diffuse and non-point sources play in affecting sediment quality and approaches that can be used to reduce or eliminate their adverse impact on water quality. ***