Estimation of Biota Sediment Accumulation Factor (BSAF) from Paired Observations of Chemical Concentrations in Biota and Sediment

摘要

In March 2004, the Ecological Risk Assessment Forum (ERAF) submitted a request to ORDs Ecological Risk Assessment Center (ERASC) relating to the estimation of Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors (BSAFs). BSAF is a parameter describing bioaccumulation of sediment-associated organic compounds or metals into tissues of ecological receptors. The purpose of this report is to provide a response to the ERAF request. The Problem Statement in the request was: What is the most appropriate method to estimate the BSAF from paired observations of concentrations in biota and sediment. The Expected Outcome asked for answers to specific questions regarding the use of regression analysis for estimating BSAFs for non-ionic organic compounds. The specific questions are addressed in the latter portion of this document. A statement on the most appropriate method to estimate the BSAF is provided below. This document is focused solely on the determination of BSAFs for non-ionic organic chemicals and is applicable to fish and benthic organisms, e.g., crabs and bivalves. The determination of BSAFs for metals is not discussed.