MP5 Assessing Contaminated Soil Sites
Room 17A/B, Level 4
2:10 PM - 5:30 PM, Monday, 10 November 2003
Chair: Siciliano, Steve ,
Co-chair: Scroggins, Rick ,
(124) Overview of the development of Environment Canada soil toxicity test methods.
Miller, J.1, McLeay, D.2, Stephenson, G.3, Scroggins, R.4, 1 Miller Environmental Sciences Inc., Innisfil, Ontario, Canada2 McLeay Environmental Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada3 ESG International, Guelph, Ontario, Canada4 Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
ABSTRACT- In 1994, Environment Canada launched a multi-year program to develop several biological test methods that could be used to assess the toxicity of contaminants in soils using terrestrial organisms representative of Canadian soil ecosystems. To date, this program has resulted in the development of three Environment Canada test method(s) documents which, together, provide the following: (1) a test for measuring emergence and growth of terrestrial plants exposed to contaminants in soil; (2) a test for measuring effects of contaminants in soil on survival and reproduction of springtails (Onychiurus folsomi and Folsomia candida); and (3) three tests for measuring the toxicity of soil using earthworms (Eisenia andrei, Eisenia fetida, or Lumbricus terrestris). The terrestrial plant method document includes procedures for both an acute screening test (7 or 10 days) and a definitive chronic test (14 or 21 days), with seedling emergence and plant growth/vigour as endpoints. Six species are recommended in the method: barley, corn, cucumber, northern wheatgrass, radish, and alfalfa. The springtail (collembolan) test method document includes procedures for both an acute screening test (7 or 14 days) and a definitive chronic test (28 or 35 days), with survival, adult fecundity and number of live juveniles as endpoints. Two collembolan species (Onychiurus folsomi and Folsomia candida) are included in this method. The test methods document for earthworms includes three methods for soil toxicity assessment: an acute (14 days) lethality test; an acute (48 or 72 hours) sublethal test of avoidance responses; and a test for effects of prolonged (8-week) exposure on survival, reproduction, and growth. The two acute tests may be performed with either E. andrei, E. fetida, or L. terrestris; whereas the 8-week test is conducted using E. andrei only. Key components of the procedures and conditions for measuring soil toxicity using these test methods will be presented.
Key words: Springtail, Earthworm, Plant, Toxicity