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Contaminated Sites and the associated ecological risks
INTRODUCTION
This page contains information that can be used to conduct screening and baseline ecological risk assessments at hazardous waste sites. Those assessments require that contaminants be screened to identify chemicals that may pose an ecological hazard. A Screening Assessment involves a comparison of the reported environmental levels of the contaminants with toxicological benchmarks derived from laboratory or field data for a particular species or group of organisms. If a chemical concentration or the estimated exposure level is lower than the lowest calculated benchmark, then the chemical is unlikely to represent an ecological risk. However, if the chemical concentration or the reported detection limit exceeds a benchmark, then further analysis is needed to determine what, if any, hazard is posed by that chemical. The more the chemical concentration exceeds the benchmark value, the more likely that the contaminant poses an ecological risk. Screening benchmarks, therefore, provide a quick way to prioritize contaminants at a particular waste site.
This page contains guidance and screening benchmark documents for evaluating ecological risk assessment data, as well as complete text copies of ecological risk assessment reports for selected DOE sites.
  
BOOKS & PAPERS [ Top ]
Suter, G.W., II, R.A. Efroymson, B.E. Sample, and D.S. Jones. 2000. Ecological Risk Assessment for Contaminated Sites. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.
Suter, G.W., II. 1993. Ecological Risk Assessment. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.
Jones, D.S. 2001. Background ecological risks: when and how to weigh in. Human and Ecological Risk Assessessment 7(3):635-638.
Efroymson, R.A., and G.W. Suter. 1999. Finding a niche for soil microbial toxicity tests in ecological risk assessment. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 5:715-727.
Suter, G.W. 1999. Developing conceptual models for complex ecological risk assessments. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 5:375-396.
Suter, G.W., and R.A. Efroymson. 1997. Controversies in ecological risk assessment: Assessment scientists respond. Environmental Management 21:819-822.
Suter, G.W., II. 1996. Toxicological benchmarks for screening contaminants of potential concern for effects on freshwater biota. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15:1232-1241.
Suter, G.W., II, B.W. Cornaby, C.T. Hadden, R.N. Hull, M. Stack, and F.A. Zafran. 1995. An approach for balancing health and ecological risks at hazardous waste sites. Risk Analysis 15:221-231.
Adams, S.M., M.S. Bevelhimer, M. S. Greeley, D.A. Levine, and S.J. Teh. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 6. Bioindicators of fish population health. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:628-640.
Baron, L. A., B.E. Sample, and G.W. Suter. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 5. Aerial insectivorous wildlife. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:621-627.
Cook, R.B., G.W. Suter, and E.R. Sain. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 1. Introduction and background. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:81-588.
Halbrook, R.S., R.J. Aulerich, S.J. Bursian, and L. Lewis. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 8. Experimental study of the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on reproductive success in mink. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:649-654.
Halbrook, R.S., R.L. Brewer, and D.A. Buehler. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 7. Environmental contaminant accumulation and effects in great blue heron. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:641-648.
Jones, D.S., L.W. Barnthouse, G.W. Suter, R.A. Efroymson, J.M. Field, and J.J. Beauchamp. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 3. Benthic invertebrates. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:599-609.
Sample, B.E., and G.W. Suter. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 4. Piscivorous wildlife. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:610-620.
Suter, G.W. 1999. Lessons for small sites from assessments of large sites. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:579-580.
Suter, G.W., L.W. Barnthouse, R.A. Efroymson, and H. Jager. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir: 2. Fish community. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18:589-598.
REPORTS [ Top ]
Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the following documents. You can download a free copy from the Adobe site.
——— GUIDANCE ———
Ecological Risk Assessments
Barnthouse, L.W., and G.W. Suter II. 1996. Guide for Developing Data Quality Objectives for Ecological Risk Assessment at DOE Oak Ridge Operations Facilities. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 21 pp. ES/ER/TM-185/R1.
Suter II, G.W. 1996. Guide for Developing Conceptual Models for Ecological Risk Assessments. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 21pp. ES/ER/TM-186.
Suter, G.W., II. 1996. Risk Characterization for Ecological Risk Assessment of Contaminated Sites. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 46 pp. ES/ER/TM-200.
Suter, G.W., II. 1995. Guide for performing screening ecological risk assessments at DOE facilities. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN. ES/ER/TM-153.
Suter, G.W., II, B.E. Sample, D.S. Jones, T.L. Ashwood, and J.M. Loar. 1995. Approach and strategy for performing ecological risk assessments for the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation: 1995 revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN. ES/ER/TM-33/R2.
Wildlife Exposure Models
Sample, B.E., M.S. Aplin, R.A. Efroymson, G.W. Suter, II., and C.J.E. Welsh. 1997. Methods and tools for estimation of the exposure of terrestrial wildlife to contaminants. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN. ORNL/TM-13391. Pages 1-113; figures, Appendix A & B.
Sample, B.E., and G.W. Suter, II. 1994. Estimating exposure of terrestrial wildlife to contaminants. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN. ES/ER/TM-125.
——— SCREENING BENCHMARKS ———
General Information
Sample, Bradley E., Glenn W. Suter II, Rebecca A. Efroymson, and Daniel S. Jones. 1998. A Guide to the ORNL Ecotoxicological Screening Benchmarks: Background, Development,and Application Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. ORNL/TM-13615.
Aquatic Biota
Environmental Management and Enrichment Facilities. 1998. Radiological Benchmarks for Screening Contaminants of Potential Concern for Effects on Aquatic Biota at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC, Oak Ridge, TN. BJC/OR-80.
Suter, G.W. II, and C.L. Tsao. 1996. Toxicological Benchmarks for Screening of Potential Contaminants of Concern for Effects on Aquatic Biota on Oak Ridge Reservation: 1996 Revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 104pp. ES/ER/TM-96/R2.
Wildlife
Sample, B.E., D.M. Opresko, and G.W. Suter II. 1996. Toxicological Benchmarks for Wildlife: 1996 Revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 227 pp. ES/ER/TM-86/R3.
Terrestrial Plants
Efroymson, R.A., M.E. Will, G.W. Suter II, and A.C. Wooten. 1997. Toxicological Benchmarks for Screening Contaminants of Potential Concern for Effects on Terrestrial Plants: 1997 Revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 128 pp. ES/ER/TM-85/R3.
Sediments
Jones, D.S., G.W. Suter II, and R.N. Hull. 1997. Toxicological Benchmarks for Screening Contaminants of Potential Concern for Effects on Sediment-Associated Biota: 1997 Revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN. 34 pp. ES/ER/TM-95/R4.
Soil Invertebrates and Microbial Processe
R.A. Efroymson, M.E, Will, and G.W. Suter II. 1997. Toxicological Benchmarks for Contaminants of Potential Concern for Effects on Soil and Litter Invertebrates and Heterotrophic Processes: 1997 Revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN. ES/ER/TM-126/R2.
PRGs
Efroymson, R.A., G.W. Suter II, B.E. Sample, and D.S. Jones. 1997. Preliminary Remediation Goals for Ecological Endpoints. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. 50 pp. ES/ER/TM-162/R2.
Example Assessments
White Oak Creek Watershed: Melton Valley Area Remedial Investigation Report, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, Volume 3. Appendix C. DOE/OR/01-1546/V3&D1 also ORNL/M--5520/V3&D1.
Efroymson, R.A., B.L. Jackson, D.S. Jones, B.E. Sample, G.W Suter II., and C.J.E. Welsh. 1996. Waste Area Grouping 2, Phase I Task Data Report: Ecological Risk Assessment and White Oak Creek Watershed Screening Ecological Risk Assessment. May 1996. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. ORNL/ER/-366.
Sample, B.E., R.L. Hinzman, B.L. Jackson, and L. Baron. 1996. Preliminary Assessment of the Ecological risks to Wide-ranging Wildlife Species on the Oak Ridge Reservation: 1996 Update. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. DOE/OR/01-1407&D2.
LINKS to RELATED SITES [ Top ]
EPA Guidelines for Ecological Risk Assessment - These Agency-wide guidelines are provided to improve the quality and consistency of EPA's ecological risk assessments.
EPA Superfund: Ecological Risk Assessment - Provides overview of ecological risk assessment and risk management at CERCLA waste sites.
ECOTOX - EPA's ECOTOXicology database provides single chemical toxicity information for aquatic and terrestrial life.
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