TA5 Soil Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment
203 Oregon Ballroom
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Tuesday
() Improvements of ecotoxicological tests for the assessment of contaminated land.
Roembke, J.1, Eisentraeger, A.2, Grabert, E.3, Huettner, S.4, Hund-Rinke, K.5, Jander, J-P.6, Neumann-Hensel, H.7, Terytze, K.8, 1 ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Floersheim, Hassia, Germany2 University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalia, Germany3 Dr. Bruno Lange GmbH & Co. KG, Duesseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalia, Germany4 Hölle & Hüttner Informationstechnologie GmbH, Tuebingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany5 Fraunhofer Institute (IME), Schmallenberg, Nordrhein-Westfalia, Germany6 BioMetric Systems GmbH, Weiterstadt, Hassia, Germany7 Dr. Fintelmann & Dr. Meyer Laboratory GmbH, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany8 Free University, Berlin, berlin, Germany
ABSTRACT- Despite efforts to include ecotoxicological tests as the integral components of assessment of contaminated land, most decisions regarding soil remediation or natural attenuation monitoring and/or assessment still relay on the results of chemical residue analyses. The German Federal Soil Protection Act (1998) stipulated protection of natural soil functions, including the function as habitat for soil biota. As part of this requirement, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research initiated a joint-research project in early 2002 (Project-No. 03303000), in which the main disadvantages of the existing battery of ecotoxicological tests are considered. Today, the influence of natural soil properties on the results of three chronic tests (earthworms and collembolans, and the dicotyledonous plant tests) can be evaluated, and recommendations can be provided for the inclusion of these rests in the assessment of field soils when appropriate. Additionally, existing microbial and genotoxicity tests have been optimized for use during the on-site analysis of potentially contaminated field soils to ensure the availability of test results within 48 hours. To reach this goal, specific software was developed to automate sample handling and test performance. Finally, a new solid-phase miniaturized bacterial test kit for field soils was developed and its standardization as an ISO guideline is under way. It is expected that these improvements will facilitate the use of ecotoxicological test methods for assessment of the quality of soils and that these methods will complement the residue analysis. The next step of the project will be the inclusion of these tests in the routine evaluation and management of two contaminated sites located in the town of Hamburg (Northern Germany). Close cooperation with the local authorities will provide valuable input for evaluating pros and cons of inclusion of ecotoxicological tests in routine assessment of contaminated sites.
Key words: on-site analysis, risk assessment, routine use, ecological requirements