ASTM E1611-00(2013)
Standard Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Polychaetous Annelids

Standard No.

ASTM E1611-00(2013)

Release Date

2000

Published By

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Status

Be replaced

Replace By

ASTM E1611-21

Latest

ASTM E1611-21

Scope

5.1 The test procedure covered in this guide is not intended to simulate exactly the exposure of benthic polychaetes to chemicals under natural conditions, but rather to provide a conveniently rapid, standard toxicity test procedure yielding a reasonably sensitive indication of the toxicity of materials in marine and estuarine sediments.

5.2 The protection of a community of organisms requires averting detrimental contaminant-related effects on the number and health of individuals and species within that population. Sediment toxicity tests provide information on the toxicity of test materials in sediments. Theoretically, projection of the most sensitive species within a community will protect the community as a whole.

5.3 Polychaetes are an important component of the benthic community. They are preyed upon by many species of fish, birds, and larger invertebrate species, and they are predators of smaller invertebrates, larval stages of invertebrates, and, in some cases, algae, as well as organic material associated with sediment. Polychaetes are sensitive to both organic and inorganic chemicals (1, 2).³ The ecological importance of polychaetes, their wide geographical distribution and ability to be cultured in the laboratory, and sensitivity to chemicals, make them appropriate toxicity test organisms.

5.4 An acute or 10-day toxicity test is conducted to obtain information concerning the immediate effects to a test material on a test organism under specified experimental conditions for a short period of time. An acute toxicity test does not necessarily provide information concerning whether delayed effects will occur, although a post-exposure observation period, with appropriate feeding, if necessary, could provide such information.

5.5 The results of acute sediment toxicity tests can be used to predict acute effects likely to occur on aquatic organisms in field situations as a result of exposure under comparable conditions, except that (1) motile organisms might avoid exposure when possible and (2) toxicity to benthic organisms can be dependent on sediment characteristics, the dynamics of equilibrium partitioning, and the route of exposure to the benthic organisms.

5.6 The polychaete sediment toxicity test might be used to determine the temporal or spatial distribution of sediment toxicity. Test methods can be used to detect horizontal and vertical gradients to toxicity. Mortality data can be used to indicate the relative toxicity of field-collected sediments.

5.7 The results of acute tests with toxicants added experimentally to sediments can be used to compare the acute sensitivities of different species and acute toxicities of different test materials, and to define the effects of various environmental factors on the results of such tests.

5.8 The results of acute sediment toxicity tests are useful for studying the biological availability of, and structure-activity relationships between, test mate......

ASTM E1611-00(2013) Referenced Document

• ASTM D1129 Standard Terminology Relating to Water
• ASTM D3976 Standard Practice for Preparation of Sediment Samples for Chemical Analysis
• ASTM D4447 Standard Guide for Disposal of Laboratory Chemicals and Samples
• ASTM E1023 Standard Guide for Assessing the Hazard of a Material to Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses
• ASTM E1192 Standard Guide for Conducting Acute Toxicity Tests on Aqueous Ambient Samples and Effluents with Fishes, Macroinvertebrates, and Amphibians
• ASTM E1241 Standard Guide for Conducting Early Life-Stage Toxicity Tests with Fishes
• ASTM E1367 Standard Guide for Conducting 10-day Static Sediment Toxicity Tests with Marine and Estuarine Amphipods
• ASTM E1391 Standard Guide for Collection, Storage, Characterization, and Manipulation of Sediments for Toxicological Testing
• ASTM E1525 Standard Guide for Designing Biological Tests with Sediments
• ASTM E1706 Standard Test Method for Measuring the Toxicity of Sediment-Associated Contaminants with Freshwater Invertebrates
• ASTM E729 Standard Guide for Conducting Acute Toxicity Tests on Test Materials with Fishes, Macroinvertebrates, and Amphibians
• ASTM E943 Standard Terminology Relating to Biological Effects and Environmental Fate

ASTM E1611-00(2013) history

• 2021 ASTM E1611-21 Standard Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Polychaetous Annelids
• 2000 ASTM E1611-00(2013) Standard Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Polychaetous Annelids
• 2000 ASTM E1611-00(2007) Standard Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Polychaetous Annelids
• 2000 ASTM E1611-00 Standard Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Marine and Estuarine Polychaetous Annelids