Evaluation of Minimum Data Requirements for Acute Toxicity Value Extrapolation with Aquatic Organisms;Final rept

摘要

Assessment of risk posed by an environmental contaminant to an aquatic community requires estimation of both magnitude of occurrence (exposure) and its ability to cause harm (effects). Our ability to estimate effects is often hindered by limited toxicological information. As a result, resource managers and environmental regulators are often faced with the need to extrapolate across taxonomic groups in order to protect the more sensitive members of the aquatic community. The goals of this effort were to : (1) compile and organize an extensive body of acute toxicity data, (2) characterize the distribution of toxicant sensitivity across taxa and species, and (3) to establish appropriate toxicity extrapolation factors based upon toxicological relations among species and chemicals. The results of this effort allow for better use of available information for predicting the sensitivity of untested species to environmental contaminants.