«» S?»M •* ^ ,, *&
United States Office of Research and
Environmental Protection Development
Agency Washington DC 20460
EPA/620/R-93/007
January 1993
Statistical Summary
EMAP- Estuaries
Louisianian
Province-1991
Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment Program
-------
-------
ERRATA
STATISTICAL SUMMARY:
EMAP-ESTUARIES LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE-1991
EPA/620/R-93/007
JANUARY 1993
Appendix C of this report should be disregarded.
The Appendix was developed as a screening
exercise to assist in identifying possible con-
cerns associated with seafood from the estuar-
ies of the Gulf of Mexico. However, this was
premature as data are still being gathered and
analyzed under the EMAP Louisianian Province
demonstration project. These data, with proce-
dural modifications, are expected to provide a
more useful and accurate contribution to improv-
ing this risk-screening process.
In its present form, the data set contains several
errors, including:
• inappropriately assessing non-carcinogenic
effects using methods designed for assess-
ing carcinogenic risks (e.g., the use of
incremental risks);
• using unconfirmed cancer potency factors
(CPFs) to estimate the risks associated with
carcinogenic contaminants; and
• expressing hazards to humans on the basis
of fish-population contaminant levels which
do not necessarily reflect realistic scenarios
for an exposed human population.
,ln view of these errors, health risks should be
addressed in the context of more definitive
published EPA guidance.
-------
-------
EPA/620/R-93/007
January 1993
STATISTICAL SUMMARY:
EMAP-ESTUARIES
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
by
J. Kevin Summers
John M. Macauley
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Research Laboratory
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
P. Thomas HeitmulSer
Virginia D. Engle
Technical Resources, Inc.
A. Matt Adams
Gary T. Brooks
Computer Sciences Corporation, Inc.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
GULF BREEZE, FLORIDA 32561
Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
DISCLAIMER
This report represents data from a single year of field operations of the Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). Because the probability-based scientific design
used by the EMAP necessitates multiple years of sampling, there may be significant levels of
uncertainty associated with some of these data. This uncertainty will decrease as the full
power of the approach is realized by the collection of data over several years. Similarly,
temporal changes and trends cannot be reported, as these require multiple years of
observation. Please note that this report contains data from research studies in only one
biogeographic region (Louisianian Province) collected in a short index period (July-August)
during a single year (1991). Appropriate precautions should be exercised when using this
information for policy, regulatory or legislative purposes. ,
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page ii
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PREFACE
This document is the first annual statistical summary for the Louisianian Province of the
Estuaries component of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment Program for estuaries (EMAP-E).
The appropriate citation for this report is:
Summers, J.K., J.M. Macauley, P.T. Heitmuller, V.D. Engle, A.M. Adams, and G.T. Brooks.
1992. Annual Statistical Summary: EMAP-Estuaries Louisianian Province - 1991. U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental
Research Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, FL. EPA/600/R-93/001.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page Hi
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A large geographically extensive monitoring program such as EMAP in the Louisianian
Province requires the interaction, coordination and cooperation of literally hundreds of
individuals working together to complete the 1991 Demonstration. Space does not permit the
individual citation of all who participated in the 1991 effort. We would like to take this
opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in the success of the Louisianian Province
and specifically acknowledge the following:
REVIEWERS
Patricia Biesiot (University of Southern
Mississippi)
Kenneth Haddad (Florida Department
of Natural Resources)
Evan Homig (EPA-Region VI)
Fred Kopfler (Gulf of Mexico Program)
Michael Lewis (EPA-ERL/GB)
Andrew McErtean (EPA-ERL/GB)
Pasquale Roscigno (Minerals '
Management Service)
Jerry Stober (EPA-Region IV)
Stephen Weisberg (Versar, Inc.)
Tony Olson (EPA-ERL/C)
CONTRIBUTORS
U.S. EPA - Gulf Breeze
Lee Courtney
Jack Foumie
Technical Resources, Inc.
Barbara Albrecht
George Craven
Brian Dom
Derek Groves
Peggy Harris
Jeanne Micari
Shannon Phifer
Computer Sciences Corporation
Cynthia Cannon
Renee' Conner
Lois Haseltine
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
David Burke
Richard Heard
William Walker
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Daniel Basta
Randy Ferguson
Andrew Robertson
Texas A&M University
James Brooks
Roger Fay
Steve Gettings
James Jobling
Bob Pressley
Terry Wade
R.J. Wilson
Dan Wilkinson
University of Mississippi
William Benson
Gary Gaston
James O'Neal
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page iv
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STATISTICAL SUMMARY
EMAP-E LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE -1991
Table of Contents
DISCLAIMER ii
PREFACE Mi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
1 INTRODUCTION . 19
1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE 1991 LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE DEMONSTRATION 19
1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES AND ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS . .. 20
1.3 PURPOSE AND ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT 21
2 STATISTICAL SUMMARY 23
2.1 BIOTIC INDICATORS .23
2.1.1 NUMBER OF BENTHIC SPECIES / . 23
2.1.2 TOTAL BENTHIC ABUNDANCE 24
2.1.3 BENTHIC ABUNDANCE BY TAXA 27
2.1.4 BENTHIC INDEX 31
2.1.5 NUMBER OF FISH SPECIES 32
2.1.6 TOTAL FINFISH ABUNDANCE 32
2.1.7 GROSS PATHOLOGY 35
2.1.8 MARINE DEBRIS 35
2.1.9 WATER CLARITY 37
2.1.10 FISH TISSUE CONTAMINANTS 39
2.1.11 INTEGRATION OF ESTUARINE CONDITIONS 41
2.2 EXPOSURE INDICATORS 43
2.2.1 DISSOLVED OXYGEN (INSTANTANEOUS) 43
2.2.2 DISSOLVED OXYGEN (CONTINUOUS) 47
2.2.3 SEDIMENT TOXIC\Tf-AMPELISCA ABDITA 51
2.2.4 SEDIMENT TOXICITY-MVS/DOPS/S BAHIA 51
2.2.5 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS-ALKANES AND ISOPRENOIDS . . 52
2.2.6 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS-POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS . . 54
2.2.7 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS-POLYCYCLIC CHLORINATED BIPHENYLS 54
2.2.8 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS-BUTYLTINS 54
2.2.9 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS-PESTICIDES 58
2.2.10 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS-HEAVY METALS 60
2.2.10.1 CRITERIA COMPARISONS 60
2.2.10.2 ANTHROPOGENIC ENRICHMENT 60
2.3 HABITAT INDICATORS 66
2.3.1 WATER DEPTH 66
2.3.2 WATER TEMPERATURE 66
2.3.3 SALINITY 67
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page v
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Table of Contents (continued)
2.3.4 pH .' 70
2.3.5 SECCHI DEPTH f 71
2.3.6 STRATIFICATION . . 73
2.3.7 PERCENT SILT-CLAY CONTENT :, . 73
2.3.8 PERCENT TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON '• 75
2.3.9 ACID VOLATILE SULFIDES 77
2.3.10 REDOX POTENTIAL DISCONTINUITY DEPTH 77
2.4 CONFIDENCE INTERVALS FOR PROVINCE AND CLASS-LEVEL ESTIMATES 78
3 QUALITY ASSURANCE .......' 82
3.1 CREW TRAINING AND SAMPLE COLLECTION 82
3.2 WATER QUALITY MEASUREMENTS-FIELD QUALITY CONTROL CHECKS .. 84
3.3 LABORATORY CERTIFICATION AND CHEMICAL ANALYSES 85
3.4 LABORATORY TESTING AND ANALYSES 87
4 SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS , 90
4.1 OVERVIEW OF PROVINCE CHARACTERISTICS 90
4.2 CONCLUSIONS OF THE 1991 SAMPLING 91
5 REFERENCES . • • • • • • 93
APPENDIX A SAMPLING DESIGN, ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS, AND METHODS . A.1
A.1 REGION AND ESTUARINE CLASSIFICATION A.1
A.2 SAMPLING DESIGN . • - A.3
A.2.1 BASE SAMPLING SITES , A.3
A.2.2 SUPPLEMENTAL SAMPLING SITES .. A.4
A.2.3 INDEX SITES ..A.5
A.2.4 INDICATOR TESTING AND EVALUATION SITES . .. A.5
A.2.5 SAMPLE DESIGN OVERVIEW A.5
A.3 INDICATORS A.5
A.4 METHODS • • • A.6
A.4.1 FIELD PLANNING A.6
A.4.2 TRAINING A.9
A.4.3 FIELD SAMPLING AND LOGISTICS A.9
A.4.4 INDICATOR SAMPLING METHODS A.12
A.4.4.1 RESPONSE INDICATORS A.12
A.4.4.1.1 BENTHOS A.12
A.4.4.1.2 FISH A.14
A.4.4.1.3 LARGE BIVALVES A.15
A.4.4.2 EXPOSURE INDICATORS • A.16
A.4.4.2.1 SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION A.16
A.4.4.2.2 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS A.17
A.4.4.2.3 SEDIMENT TOXICITY A.17
A.4.4.2.4 DISSOLVED OXYGEN A.19
A.4.4.3 RESEARCH INDICATORS A.20
A.4.4.3.1 MACROPHAGE AGGREGATES A.20
A.4.4.3.2 SKELETAL ANOMALIES A.21
A.4.4.3.3 BLOOD CHEMISTRY A.22
A.4.4.3.4 BILE FLORESCENCE A.22
A.4.4.3.5 HISTOPATHOLOGY A.22
A.4.4.4 HUMAN USE A.22
A.4.4.4.1 MARINE DEBRIS A.22
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page vi
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Table of Contents (continued)
A.4.4.4.2 WATER CLARITY . A.23
A.4.4.4.3 TISSUE CONTAMINANTS A.23
A.4.5 DATA COLLECTION AND SAMPLE TRACKING A.24
A.4.6 ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR STATISTICAL SUMMARY . A.24
A.4.6.1 CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS A.24
A.4.6.2 ADJUSTMENT TO KNOWN COVARIATES . A.26
A.4.6.2,1 ADJUSTMENT FOR NATURAL HABITAT GRADIENTS A.26
A.4.6.2.2 ADJUSTMENT FOR EXPERIMENTAL CONTROLS A.26
A.4.6.2.3 ADJUSTMENT FOR NATURAL CRUSTAL PROPERTIES A.27
A.4.6.3 BIQTIC INTEGRITY INDICES ...... A.28
A.4.7 PROCEDURES FOR THE CALCULATION OF CONFIDENCE INTERVALS A.28
APPENDIX B SUBPOPULATION ESTIMATION BASED ON EMAP SAMPLING B.I
B.1 BIOTIC CONDITION INDICATORS . . B.1
B.1.1 BENTHIC INDEX B.2
B.1.2 NUMBER OF FISH SPECIES ..... .'. B.4
B.1.3 MARINE DEBRIS B.5
B.1.4 WATER CLARITY B.5
B.1.5 INTEGRATION OF ESTUARINE CONDITIONS B.7
B.2 ABIOTIC CONDITION INDICATORS B.7
B.2.1 DISSOLVED OXYGEN (INSTANTANEOUS) . B.9
B.2.2 DISSOLVED OXYGEN (CONTINUOUS) B.9
B.2.3 SEDIMENT JOXlClTf-AMPELISCA ABDITA B.11
B.2.4 ALKANES AND ISOPRENOIDS . B.12
B.2.5 POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS . B.12
B.2.6 POLYCYCLIC CHLORINATED BIPHENYLS B.13
B.2.7 TRIBUTYLTIN ..... B.14
B.2.8 PESTICIDES B.16
B.2.9 HEAVY METALS : B.16
B.3 CONFIDENCE INTERVALS FOR STATE-LEVEL ESTIMATES B.17
APPENDIX C ASSESSMENT RELATING TO CONTAMINANTS IN FISH AND SHELLFISH
C.1
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page vii
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EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
STATUS OF THE CONDITION OF LOUISIANIAN
PROVINCE ESTUARIES
This statistical summary of the ecological
condition of the estuarine resources is
based on the results of the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration
Project. The population of estuarine
resources within the Louisianian Province
consists of all estuarine areas located
along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico
between and including, the Rio Grande, TX
and Anclote Anchorage, FL.
Estuarine areas are defined as the saline,
tidal ecosystems characterized by harbors,
sounds, bays, and embayments bounded
by barrier islands (seaward boundary) or
surrounded by land with a restricted
confluence with Gulf of Mexico and the
portions of tidal rivers having a detectable
tide (> 2.5 cm). These resources have
been classified into three estuarine types:
• Large estuaries (surface area > 250 km2,
aspect (length/mean width) < 18)
• Large tidal rivers (surface area > 250
km , aspect > 18)
• Small estuaries and tidal rivers (2 km2 <
surface area < 250 km2)
The Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment Program (EMAP) is a national
program initiated by EPA and integrating
the efforts of several federal agenices to
evaluate the status and trends of the
ecological resources of the United States.
EMAP-Estuaries (EMAP-E) is a part of
EMAP organized to evaluate the status and
trends of the estuarine resources of the
United States. The Louisianian Province
represents a single biogeographic area of
the country corresponding to the Gulf of
Mexico area. The Louisianian Province
Demonstration Project was conducted
during the summer of 1991 (July-August)
using a probability-based sampling design
to evaluate the condition of the estuarine
resources in this geographic region. This
probabilistic sampling design makes it
possible to estimate the proportion or
amount of the total area in the Louisianian
Province (25,725 km2) having defined
environmental conditions based on
sampling only a portion of the province.
One hundred and eighty three sites
between Anclote Anchorage, FL and the
Rio Grande, TX were sampled during the
seven-week sampling period (Fig. 1). An
additional 19 sites were scheduled, but not
sampled, due to inadequate water depth for
sampling (i.e., < 1 m). Thus, based on the
1991 sampling design, 7.4% of the total
estuarine area in the Louisianian Province
cannot be sampled with the present
sampling plan. The bulk of this
"unsampleable" area occurs in Laguna
Madre, TX where the average depth is < 1
m. About 60% of the unsampleable area
occurs in this water body. We will evaluate
methods in 1992 for obtaining data from
Laguna Madre in 1993.
A series of indicators that are
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province >• 1991
Page 1
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Figure 1. Base Sampling Stations For 1991 Loulslanlnn Province Monitoring.
representative of the overall condition of
estuarine resources was measured at each
site. These indicators were designed to
address three major attributes of concern:
1) esluarine biotic integrity, 2) aesthetics
representing societal values related to
public use of estuarine resources, and 3)
pollutant exposure or the conditions under
which biota live.
BIOTIC INTEGRITY
The condition of biological resources in the
Louisianian Province was assessed using
two indicators: one that measured the
condition of estuarine benthos (bottom
dwelling organisms) and one that
measured the condition of fish
communities. The benthic and fish
indicators use measures of species
composition and abundance to evaluate
the condition of the benthic and fish
assemblages. Both use indices
determined from the 1991 data to represent
a combination of ecological measurements
for each assemblage that best discriminate
between good and poor environmental
conditions. These indices represent
EMAP-E's attempt to reduce dozens of
indicators into a simple, interpretive value
that has a high level of discriminatory
power between good and poor ,
environmental conditions. The indices
were developed separately for fish and
benthos using information from regional
reference sites and sites with known
pollution exposure. The indices have been
partially validated, using the 1991 data but
several additional years of information will
be required for complete validation;
therefore, assessments based on these
indices should be considered preliminary.
In fact, due to the use of single trawls to
characterize fish communities, the fish
index is not incorporated into the
assessment of the proportion of degraded
estuarine area in the Louisianian Province.
Benthic organisms were used as an
indicator because previous studies
suggested that .they are sensitive to
pollution exposure (Pearson and
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 2
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Rosenberg 1978, Boesch and Rosenberg
1981). They also integrate responses to
exposure over relatively long periods of
time. One reason for their sensitivity to
pollutant exposure is that benthic
organisms live in and on the sediments, a
medium that accumulates environmental
contaminants over time (Schubel and
Carter 1984, Nixon et al. 1986). Their
relative immobility also prevents benthic
organisms from avoiding pollution exposure
and environmental disturbance.
Preliminary estimates based on the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration
indicate that 30% of the estuarine area in
the province had degraded benthic
resources. Of the 25,725 km2 comprising
the estuaries of the Louisianian Province,
over 8000 km2 were ecologically degraded.
For the benthic index, degraded conditions
were defined in as an index value < 4.1.
Although EMAP-E's primary objective is to
describe status and trends at the province
level, estimates can also be generated for
subpopulations. The EMAP sampling
design defined three classes of estuarine
resources: large estuaries, large tidal
rivers, and small estuarine resources.
These classes were defined because
estuaries of different sizes may show
markedly different responses to
anthropogenic impacts.
The incidence of degraded benthic
resources was dissimilar among the three
classes of estuaries sampled during 1991.
Proportionately, large tidal rivers were the
most degraded with most of the resource
(80% of the area of the tidal portion of the
Mississippi River) having degraded
resources (Fig. 2). Forty-one percent of
small estuarine resources were degraded
on an areal basis and large estuaries had
only 27% of their area represented by
BENTHIC INDEX < 4.1
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LU
100
90-
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
80.0
LARGE
RIVER
CLASS
SMALL
Figure 2. Percent of area having benthic Index value < 4.1
for large estuaries (large), small estuaries (small), and
large tidal rivers (river).
degraded benthos (Fig. 2). However, while
the proportional area degraded was high in
the large tidal river and small estuarine
resources classes, the actual total area of
degraded benthic resources in large
estuaries was 5000 km2 as compared to
2800 km2 for small estuaries and 110 km2
for large tidal rivers.
HUMAN USE
Although the major objective of EMAP-E is
to describe the status of estuarine
resources using indicators of ecological
condition, certain characteristics of
estuaries, valued by society, may not be
reflected by these indicators. We have
included three indicators of perceptual
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 3
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condition in our assessment: incidence of
marine debris, clarity of water, and
contaminant levels in edible fish flesh.
Data were collected during the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration to
estimate the areal extent of estuaries
having trash and turbid waters.
Measurements were taken to estimate the
proportion of fish populations of ecological,
recreational, and commercial fish species
having unacceptable levels of
contaminants.
Observations concerning marine debris are
important because debris has multiple
deleterious effects on estuarine biota
(entanglement and ingestion), can
economically affect tourist areas (loss of
tourists, beach clean-up costs), and
contributes to the public perception of the
general environmentaLcondition of
estuaries (Ross et al. 1991). It is
estimated that marine debris was present
at 17% of the estuarine area in the
Louisianian Province with 3% represented
by plastics and 14% by cans, glass, paper,
and wood. This accumulates to 3600 km2
of estuarine bottom having identifiable
marine debris in the Louisianian Province.
No trash could be specifically identified as
medical or hospital waste. Proportion of
area having marine debris was higher in
the large tidal river and small estuary
classes (30% and 25%, respectively) and
12% of the area of large estuaries had
trash (Fig. 3).
Clear waters are valued by society and
contribute to the maintenance of healthy
and productive ecosystems. Water clarity
was estimated using light transmission data
as a comparison of incident light at the
surface and reduced light at a depth of one
meter. It was determined that water
visibility of 10% at one meter would be
used to represent poor visibility (i.e.,
MARINE DEBRIS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50
LARGE
RIVER
GLASS
SMALL
Figure 3. Percent of area having marine debris present
for large estuaries (large), small estuaries (small), and
large tidal rivers (river).
visibility of < 1 ft). Approximately 27% of
the province had waters with visibility of <
10%. Clarity was much poorer in small
estuaries (41 % with < 10% transmittance)
than either large estuaries (21%) or large
tidal rivers (0%)(Fig. 4).
Contaminant levels in edible fish tissue are
perceived by the public as a negative
quality for estuarine waters even if the
concentrations are below levels that could
have harmful effects.
EMAP-E has compiled contaminant levels
of pesticides, heavy metals, and polycyclic
chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in edible fish
tissues for three species groups: Atlantic
croaker (Micropogonias undulatus),
commercial shrimps (Penaeus aztecus and
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 4
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PAR
Largo Small River
CLASS
Figure 4. Percent of area having light transmlttance at
one meter depth at <10% of Incedent light for large
estuaries (large), small estuaries (small), and large tidal
rivers (river).
Penaeus setiferus), and marine catfish
(Arius felis, Bagre marinus, and Ictalurus
furcatus). The analysis done for tissue
contaminants differ from those previously
discussed in that the results refer to
populations of organisms rather than areal
extent in estuaries.
In general, contaminant concentrations in
fish and shellfish were low with the
exception of some heavy metals (arsenic,
chromium, mercury, and zinc) (Tables 1, 2,
and 3). Concentrations of pesticides and
PCBs measured in brown and white shrimp
tissue did not exceed existing FDA and
international criteria (USFDA 1982, 1984;
Nauen 1983). However, certain heavy
metals were characterized by
concentrations exceeding criteria in small
portions of the sampled populations of
shrimp (Table 1). Arsenic and chromium
exceeded criteria levels in 4% of the
population sampled.
Atlantic croaker is a recreationally and
commercially important fish in the
Louisianian Province. Concentrations of all
chlorinated pesticides and PCBs were
below FDA criteria. Arsenic concentrations
exceeding 2.0 ppm were found in 3% of
the croaker population.
Marine catfish represent a minor
recreational fishery in the Louisianian
Province. Because their feeding habits
bring them in direct contact with sediments,
catfish were analyzed to examine the
concentration of contaminants in their flesh.
This category included sea cats
(hardheads), gafftopsail catfish, and blue
catfish. As was seen with croaker, catfish
flesh contained concentrations of
chlorinated pesticides and PCBs well within
established criteria. As seen with shrimp
and croaker, catfish contained elevated
levels of arsenic (8% of samples exceeding
2 ppm). Zinc concentrations exceeded 60
ppm in 2% of the catfish populations.
Mercury exceeded 1 ppm in 1% of the
catfish populations.
Overall, the number of contaminants seen
in fish and shellfish exceeding the FDA
action limits was low. However, a few
contaminants (selected heavy metals)
occurred in high enough concentrations to
exceed FDA action limits in small portions
of the populations examined. These
contaminants were arsenic, zinc, mercury,
and chromium. Because of the paucity of
information concerning U.S. standards for
heavy metals other than mercury in fish,
the criteria levels used for metals in Table
1 through 3 (i.e., World Health Organization
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 5
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Contaminant
Observed
Range
Criterion1
Po»UcIdos» (ng/gwwt)
ODD 0-4.9
DDE 0-1.7
DDT 0-74.0
Aldrin 0-1.6
Chtordano 0-1.9
Dloldrfn 0-1.6
Endosullan 0-0.0
Endrfn 0-12.8
Hoptachlor 0-0.0
Hoptachlor Epoxtde 0-3.9
Hoxachlorobonzene 0-2.5
Llndano O-O.O
Mirox 0-43.5
Toxaphano O-O.O
Trana-Nonachlor 0-1.3
PCB« (ng/gwwt)
21 Congeners 0-16.1
Total PCBa 0-30.3
HeavyMotels (ng/gwwt)
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Load
Mercury
Nicko!
Sotonlum
Silver
Tin
Zinc
0-78.5
0-3.9
0-0.3
0-6.1
0-9.6
0-0.3
0-0.3
0-9.0
0-0.3
0-0.3
0-1.1
1-18.8
5000
5000
5000
300
300
300
NA2
300
300
300
200
200
100
500
NA
500
2000
NA
2
0.5
1
15
0.5
1
NA
1
NA
NA
60
Proportion
Exceeding
Criterion
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u3
0%
0%
u
4%
0%
4%
0%
0%
0%
u
0%
u
u
0%
* Criteria were selected from FDA established limits for pesticides
and PCBa (USFDA 1982, 1984) except hexachlorobenzene and
lindano which are based on Swedish limits (Nauen 1983); no FDA
limits exist for metals other than mercury; metals criteria reflect
moan of international limits (Nauen 1983)
2NA = Not available
3U s Unknown because no criterion level available
Table 1. Overview of the contaminant levels observed In edible flesh
of brown shrimp and white shrimp (N=370).
guidelines) may not be acceptable.
However, the contaminant data are
available to be compared to any criteria
and can be used to track potential
trends in contaminant concentrations in
flesh for the croaker, catfish, and
shrimp populations in the Louisianian
Province.
INTEGRATION OF ESTUARINE
CONDITIONS
A single index value has been
developed to summarize the overall
condition of the estuaries in the
Louisianian Province by combining the
benthic index, marine debris, water
clarity and tissue contaminants,
weighted equally. This single value
includes an index of societal values
(aesthetics) and estuarine biotic
integrity based on benthic assemblages
(Fig. 5a). Indicators relating to biotic
integrity and aesthetics were used to
estimate overall environmental
conditions in the estuaries. Fort/ two
percent of the estuarine area in the
Louisianian Province showed evidence
of degraded biological resources or
was impaired with respect to its ability
to support activities valued bv society
(Fig. 5a). Of the 25,725 knrT of
estuarine surface area in the
Louisianian Province, 10,805 km2 were
potentially degraded.
The locations of degraded biological
resources were sometimes different
from those having aesthetic problems.
Both sets of conditions were found in
20% of the estuarine area, whereas
degraded biological conditions alone
were found in 10% of the province, and
poor aesthetics were found in 12%
(Fig. 5a).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 6
-------
Contaminant Observed Criterion1 Proportion
range Exceeding
Criterion
Pesticides (ng/gwwt)
ODD 0-16.0
DDE 0-3.5
DDT 0-24.2
Aldrin 0-3.2
Chlordane 0-8.2
Dieldrin 0-26.2
Endosulfan 0-1.7
Endrin 0-22.5
Heptachlor 0-5.7
Heptachlor Epoxide 0-16.7
Hexachlorobenzene 0-77.4
Lindane 0-0.0
Mirex 0-88.5
Toxaphene 0-1800
Trans-Nonachlor 0-1.3
PCBs (ng/gwwt)
21 Congeners 0-40.6
Total PCBs 0-62.5
Heavy Metals (ng/gwwt)
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
0-6.9
0-2.1
0-0.1
0-0.3
0-5.3
0-0.3
0-0.4
0-0.3
0-0.3
0-1.8
0-0.7
1-11.8
5000
5000
5000
300
300
300
NA
300
300
300
200
200
100
500
NA
500
2000
NA
2
0.5
1
15
0.5
1
NA
1
NA
NA
60
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
U
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
U
0%
0%
U
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u%
0%
u%
u%
0%
1 Criteria were selected from FDA established limits for
pesticides and PCBs (USFDA 1982, 1984) except
hexachlorobenzene and lindane which are based on
Swedish limits (Nauen 1983); no FDA limits exist for
metals other than mercury; metals criteria reflect mean of
international limits (Nauen 1983)
Table 2. Overview of the contaminant levels observed in
edible flesh of Atlantic croaker (N=580). NA= Not available;
U= Unknown, no criterion level Is available.
Contaminant Observed Criterion1 Proportion
Range
Pesticides (ng/gwwt)
ODD 0-207.4
DDE 0-12.2
DDT 0-39.4
Aldrin 0-2.7
Chlordane 0-6.1
Dieldrin 0-24.4
Endosulfan 0-1.8
Endrin 0-10.1
Heptachlor . 0-5.7
Heptachlor Epoxide 0-5.7
Hexachlorobenzene 0-4.0
Lindane 0-4.1
Mirex 0-30.7
Toxaphene 0-1400
Trans-Nonachlor 0-4.3
PCBs (ng/gwwt)
21 Congeners 0-19.5
Total PCBs 0-67.9
Heavy Metals (ng/gwwt)
Aluminum 0-105.1
Arsenic 0-10.1
Cadmium 0-0.4
Chromium 0-0.8
Copper 0-10.3
Lead 0-0.4
Mercury 0-1.2
Nickel 0-0.7
Selenium 0-0.4
Silver 0-0.3
Tin 0-1.2
Zinc 1-234.0
1 Criteria were selected from FDA
Exceeding
Criterion
5000 0%
5000 0%
5000 0%
300 0%
300 0%
300 0%
NA U
300 0%
300 0%
300 0%
200 0%
200 0%
100 0%
5000 0%
NA U
500 0%
2000 0%
NA U
2 8%
0.5 0%
1 0%
15 0%
0.5 0%
1 1%
NA U
1 0%
NA U
NA U
60 2%
established limits for
pesticides and PCBs (USFDA 1982, 1984) except
hexachlorobenzene and lindane which are based on
Swedish limits (Nauen 1983); no
FDA limits exist for
metals other than mercury; metals criteria reflect mean of
international limits (Nauen 1983)
Table 3.
edible flesh of catfish (N=1130). NA= Not available; U=
Unknown as no criterion level Is available.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page
-------
ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE 1991
Both
15.8«
Undsgroded
47.3x
Degraded Biology
15.9«
Impaired Use
21.Ox
Rgure 5. Summary of environmental conditions In Loulslanlan Province In 1991.
POLLUTANT EXPOSURE
While EMAP-E's major objective is to
describe the status of estuaries using
indicators of ecological condition, we have
taken numerous measurements of the
magnitude and extent of pollutant exposure
in order to ascertain some preliminary links
between observed estuarine degradation
and observed pollutant exposure. Many of
these pollutant measures are described in
detail in Section 2; however, a few
exposure indicators are discussed below:
dissolved oxygen concentrations, sediment
toxicity, and sediment contaminants.
Dissolved oxygen is a fundamental
requirement for all estuarine organisms. A
threshold concentration of 4-5 ppm is used
by many states to set water quality
standards. Bottom waters in 15% of the
Louisianian Province had point
measurements of dissolved oxygen
concentrations that failed to meet the 5ppm
criterion (Fig. 6). A concentration of
approximately 2 ppm is often used as a
threshold for oxygen concentrations
thought to be extremely stressful to most
estuarine organisms. Results from the
1991 Louisianian Province Demonstration
indicate that point measurements of bottom
dissolved oxygen concentrations bellow this
threshold were found in 6% of the province
(Fig. 6).
Two types of dissolved oxygen
measurements were taken in 1991: point
measurements and continuous
measurements. Continuous measurements
were used to supplement point measures
as some estuaries appear to undergo
severe dissolved oxygen stress during
nighttime hours. As a result, point
measurements during daylight hours could
erroneously characterize a site that
receives severe dissolved oxygen stress
for several hours every night as a site with
acceptable dissolved oxygen
concentrations because high levels were
found during the day. In general, the
continuous dissolved oxygen concentration
measurements mimic the point •
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 8
-------
Dissolved Oxygen - Bottom
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE
2 - 5
84.7
Figure 6. Percent of area of Louisianian Province with
Instantaneous dissolved oxygen concentrations in bottom waters
< 2ppm, 2-5 ppm, and > 5ppm.
measurements in large estuaries and large
tidal rivers but continuous measurements
show a significant increase in the area
experiencing dissolved oxygen
concentrations less than 2 ppm in small
estuarine systems from < 1 % based on
point measurements (Fig. 7) to over 15%
based on continuous measurements (Fig.
8). This doubles the total proportion of the
province experiencing stressful dissolved
oxygen concentrations (< 2 ppm) from 6%
to 12% and increases the proposition
experiencing < 5 ppm from 15% to 37% of
the Louisianian Province (Fig. 9). Thus,
continuous measurements are necessary
to characterize correctly the exposure of
low dissolved oxygen.
Sediment bioassays are the most direct
measure available for estimating the
potential for contaminant-induced effects in
biological communities. These tests
provide information that is independent of
chemical characterizations and
ecological surveys (Chapman 1988).
Direct measures of sediment
contaminant concentrations do not show
which concentrations may adversely
affect biological resources because
many chemicals are bound tightly to
sediment particles or are chemically-
complexed (USEPA 1989, Long and
Morgan 1990). Sediment toxicity tests
avoid this problem by indicating when
contaminant concentrations have the
potential to impact biological resources.
Laboratory bioassays were conducted to
determine if the sediments in the
Louisianian Province were toxic to
representative estuarine organisms.
Based upon the results of these tests,
7% of the Louisianian Province
contained sediments that were toxic to
estuarine organisms. Because
Ampelisca abdita, the test organism
used in the bioassays is not common the
Louisianian Province, additional testing was
completed using a common mysid. The
results of this mysid testing generally agree
with those found using Ampelisca with 7%
of the province showing toxicity. The
proportion of area containing toxic
sediments was very different among the
three classes (Fig. 10) with the highest
proportion occurring in the large tidal river
class (67%) and significantly smaller
proportions in the small estuaries (14%)
and large estuaries (6%).
Measurements of concentrations of
contaminants in sediments were used to
estimate the areal extent of sediment
having pollutant concentrations that are
above hypothesized levels that could cause
biotic effects and that could be attributed to
human activities. For this summary,
sediment contaminants will be discussed
as five major groups: heavy metals,
alkanes and isoprenoids, polynuclear
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 9
-------
BOTTOM DISSOLVED
OXYGEN < 2 PPM
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50
40
gj 30
| 20
£ .
LARGE SMALL RIVER
CLASS
Figure?. Percent of area having Instantaneous dissolved
oxygen concentrations In bottom waters of < 2 ppm for
largo estuaries (large), small estuaries (small), and large
tidal rivers (river).
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides,
and poiycyclic chlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs) and as a single group of
contaminated substances. For all
contaminants, the criteria used to assess
potential for degradation were the Long
and Morgan (1990) median values (ER-M)
associated with biological effects. All
values above these median criteria were
assessed as being representative of
sediment degradation. In addition, the 10%
Long and Morgan values (ER-L) were used
to assess locations where some
contamination occurred but at levels that
could result in ecological problems some of
the time. These criterion levels are not
available for all toxic substances. The
criteria used for contaminants are shown in
Table 4. ,
Minimum D.O. < 2.0 ppm
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50
40
30
20
10
15.8
10.9 •
HI
Lorg* Smol
CtaM
Figure 8. Percent of area having minimum dissolved oxygen
concentrations in bottom waters of <2 ppm for large estuaries
(large), small estuaries (small), and large tidal rivers (river).
Natural sources of metals and chemical
and physical processes in estuaries may
concentrate metals in fine-grained ... •:.-... :
sediments, or in depositional areas of
estuaries. In addition to the criteria-based
assessments described above, analyses
were conducted to distinguish areas with
elevated concentrations of metals as a
result of anthropogenic enrichment by
adjusting for aluminum sediment
concentrations. Based upon these two
approaches, 32% of the Louisianian
Province has sediments with elevated
concentrations of one or more heavy
metals based on the criteria values and
33% of the area has heavy metal
concentrations that were higher than would
be expected based on aluminum
background concentrations. These
elevated metals were primarily mercury,
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 10
-------
Minimum Dissolved Oxygen
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
DO < 2 ppm
12.27%
DO2-5
DO > 5 ppm
62.74%
AMPELISCA SEDIMENT TOXICITY
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
TOO
Figure 9. Percent of area of Loulslanian Province with minimum dissolved oxygen concentrations In bottom waters < 2ppm,
2-5 ppm, and > 5 ppm based on 24 hours of data.
nickel, chromium, zinc, and to a smaller
extent, tin and lead. Enriched metal
concentrations varied widely among
classes with the greatest enrichment (80%
of sediments) occurring in the large tidal
rivers, 40% of the sediments being
enriched in large estuaries, and only 9% of
sediments in small estuarine systems (Fig.
11).
Alkanes and isoprenoids are hydrocarbons
associated with the petrochemical industry
(drilling, transport, refinement). While 27
individual alkanes were examined, total
alkanes were used to provide an overall
assessment of sediment contamination due
to alkanes. A criteria value of >7000 ppb
total alkanes was used to characterize a
degraded estuarine condition. An
intermediate criterion on 5000-7000 ppb
total alkanes was used as indicative of
potential contamination. Eleven percent of
LARGE HVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 10. Percent of area having sediment toxlclty for
large estuaries (large), small estuaries (small), and large
tidal rivers (river).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianlan Province -1991
Page 11
-------
Chemical
Analylo
Traco Elements (ppm)
Antimony
Arsonlc
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Load
Morcuiy
Nieko)
Sltvor
Tin
Zinc
Polychlorlnatod Blphenyls
Total PCBs
DDT and Metabolites (ppb)
DDT
DDD
DDE
Total DDT
Other Pesticides (ppb)
Lfndana
Chlordario
HeptRchtor
DtoWrin
AkJm
Endrin
Mlrox
Criterion
for Potential
Degradation
10% Effects
2
33
5
80
70
35
0.15
30
1
NA
120
(PPb)
50
1
2
2
3
NA
0.5
NA
0.02
NA
0.02
NA
Criterion
for
Degradation
50% Effects
25
85
9
145
390
110
1.3
50
2.2
NA
270
400
7
20
15
350
NA
6
NA
8
NA
45
NA
* Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (ppb)
Aconaphthene
Anthracene
Bonzo(n)nnthracorK)
Bonzo(n)pyrcno
Bonzo(o)pyrone
Blphonyl
Chryserve
D!bonz(a,h)anlhracene
2,6-dkr.olhylnaphlhylono
FhJoranlhone
FKiorono
l-mothybiaphthatens
2-mothy!naphlhatene
l-rnolhytphonanthrona
Naphthalene
PoryJeno
Phonanthreno
Pyrone
2.3,5-trifflolhylnaphlhaten9
Total PAH
150
85
230
400
NA
NA
400
60
NA
600
35
NA
65
NA
340
NA
225
350
NA
4000
650
960
1600
2500
NA
NA
2800
260
NA
3600
640
NA
670
NA
2100
NA
1380
2200
NA
35000
Tnblo 4. Criteria values used to characterize degraded
sediments (from Long and Morgan 1990). NA= Not
available.
the sediments in the Louisianian Province
had elevated levels of alkanes. No
elevated levels of alkanes were observed
in the large tidal rivers class and the
proportion of area displaying elevated
alkane concentrations in large and small
estuaries was about the same, 10% and
12%, respectively (Fig. 12).
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons
represent a common component of the
contaminants released by point source
industrial effluents. A total of 44 individual
PAHs were examined but criteria levels
were available for only 12 of these
compounds (Long and Morgan 1990).
However, a criterion is available for total
PAHs based on the Long and Morgan
(1990) estimate for sediment
concentrations resulting in biological effects
50% of the time -- >35,000 ppb. Due to
the magnitude of this concentration, we
HEAVY METALS IN EXCEEDANCE OF CRITERIA
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 11. Percent of area having at least one measured heavy
metal concentration In sediments exceeding: Its criterion value
for large estuaries (large), large tidal rivers (river), and small
estuaries (small).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 12
-------
also examined the concentration range that
produced ecological effects >10% of the
time - >4000 ppb total PAHs. No total
PAH concentrations in the observed
Louisianian Province sediments exceeded
35,000 ppb. Only 3% of the province is
characterized by the intermediate total PAH
concentration of > 4000 ppb. No elevated
PAH values were observed in large
estuaries or large tidal rivers. All of the
intermediate level of PAHs was found in
small estuarine systems comprising 10% of
the total sediments in small estuaries (Fig.
13).
TOTAL AU
LOUISI
50
40
Cc 20
10
0
CANES (PPB) > 7000
ANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
11.6
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 12. Percent, of area having total PAH
concentrations In sediment > 7000 ppb for large estuaries
(large), small estuaries (small), and large tidal rivers
(river).
Polycyclic chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
represent a very toxic compound in the
environment. Twenty-five individual PCS
congeners were examined in the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration. Long
and Morgan (1990) provide a criterion of
>400 ppb total PCBs as the concentration
likely to result in ecological effects. They
provide a secondary concentration of >50
ppb at which some effects might be
expected. Total PCB concentrations in
observed Louisianian Province sediments
did not exceed 400 ppb. However, <1% of
the Louisianian Province sediments were
characterized by total PCB concentrations
> 50 ppb. No elevated PCB concentrations
were observed in either large estuaries or
large tidal rivers. All elevated total PCB
values were seen in small estuarine
systems where 0.6% of the sediment
exceeded the immediate PCB
concentration.
Pesticides are introduced into the estuarine
environment through three pathways: direct
emission as a result of point source
discharge (generally through manufacture
or disposal), non-point emission through
agricultural or horticultural application, and
atmospheric through deposition of
volatilized materials. In the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration, 25
pesticides and derivatives were examined.
TOTAL PAHS (PPB) > 4000
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50-
40-
3
O£
< 30-1
ui
<3> 20-
ui
o.
10
0
10.4
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 13. Percent of area having total PAH concentrations In
sediment > 4000 ppb for large estuaries (large), small estuaries
(small), and large tidal rivers (river).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 13
-------
pesticides and derivatives were examined.
For this summary, total pesticides, total
DDT, and total chlordane are reported.
Generally accepted sediment quality
criteria are not yet available and even
reasonable criteria are only available for 9
of the 25 pesticides examined. Long and
Morgan (1990) report the following critical
concentrations for DDT, DDD, DDE,
chlordane, dieldrin, and endrin: 7 ppb, 20
ppb, 15 ppb, 0.5 ppb, 0.02 ppb, and 0.02
ppb, respectively.
The DDT criteria value of 7 ppb was
exceeded for < 1% of the sediments in the
Louisianian Province. No sediments in
large estuaries and < 1 % of sediments in
small estuaries exceeded this value but
10% ofthe sediments in the large tidal
rivers showed elevated levels of DDT.
Total chlordane showed concentrations >
0.5 ppb in 2% of the sediments of the
Louisianian Province with some individual
sed/ment samples exceeding 5 ppb.
Elevated chlordane concentrations were
observed in all three estuarine classes
(Fig. 14) with 50% of the sediments in
large tidal rivers showing elevated
concentrations; 2% in small estuaries and
< 1% in large estuaries.
Total pesticides were evaluated by
examining each individual pesticide and
computing the number of sediment
samples in which at least one criterion was
exceeded. Based on this approach, 24%
of Louisianian Province sediments
exceeded at least one of these pesticide
concentrations. There was wide variation
among the three estuarine classes with
27% of large estuaries, 89% of large tidal
rivers, and 16% of small estuaries being
characterized by high pesticide
concentrations. This exceedance was
primarily related to high concentrations of
DDT, dieldrin, and chlordane.
Tributyltin was measured at sediment
concentrations > 1 ppb in 13% and 75 ppb
in 4% of the sediments of the Louisianian
Province. Using 5 ppb as a clear indicator
of degraded conditions, most of the high-
TBT sediments were found in small
estuaries (9% of sediments) and to a lesser
extent in large estuarine sediments (2%)
(Figure 15).
TOTAL CHLORDANE (PPB) > 0.5
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - Wl'
100
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 14. Percent of area having chlordane concentrations In
sediments > 0.5 ppb for large estuaries (large), large tidal rivers
(river), and small estuaries (small).
Ninety-five percent confidence intervals
(95% Cl) were calculated for all parameters
described in this summary. Table 5
provides the 95% confidence intervals for
the major indicators for the proportion of
the province and the three estuarine
classes.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page
-------
TRIBUTYLTIN (PPB) > 5
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 15. Percent of area having sediments with trlbutyltln > 5
ppb for large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 15
-------
Parameter Province
N
Estuarine Condition
Eatuarino Condition1
BIOTIC CONDITION
Benthoa Index
Abundance < 10
# Species < 2
# Species 5
Rah
Abundance < 5
Abundance < 10
# Species £1
It Species £ 2
Ran Pathology2
Fish Contaminants2
Shrimp
All > FDA Limits
Croakor
All > FDA Limits
Marine Catfish
Hg > FDA Limits
Othora > FDA Limits
Bottom DO3 < 2 ppm
Bottom DOS3 < 5 ppm
Minimum DO < 2 ppm
Sediment Toxicity
101
52(9)
40(9)
31(9)
19(9)
4(4)
28(10)
17(8)
32(11)
15(4)
21(5)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(1)
0(0)
6(5)
15(8)
12(1)
8(5)
1 Estuarine condition without turbidity as an
2 Percentage based on sample
Large
Estuary
48
38(11)
28(10)
27(10)
19(9)
0(0)
23(11)
17(10)
33(13)
, 17(3)
23(5)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
8(7)
15(8)
11(9)
6(5)
indicator
Large
Tidal
River
10
95(30)
95(30)
80(25)
50(31)
60(30)
80(25)
44(33)
67(31)
33(31)
33(31)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(16)
67(30)
Small
Estuary
43
55(20)
44(18)
41(20)
36(20)
12(15)
39(20)
16(13)
29(18)
11(10)
17(12)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(2)
0(0)
1(1)
17(17)
16(14)
14(10)
size rather than estuarine area
2 Instantaneous dissolved oxygen measurements
Table 5. 95% confidence Intervals associated with the proportion of the Loulslanian Province and estuarine
classes experiencing the levels of the listed parameters.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 16
-------
Parameter
N
ABIOTIC CONDITION
Marine Debris
Water Clarity
PAR < 10%
PAR < 25%
Silt-Clay Content
< 20%
i.80%
Alkanes
Total > 7000 ppb
PAHs
Total > 1000 ppb
Total > 4000 ppb
PCBs
Total > 200 ppb
Pesticides
Chlondane > .5 ppb
Dieldrin > .2 ppb
Endrin > .02 ppb
DDT > 1 ppb
DDE > 2 ppb
ODD > 2 ppb
Metals
Ag > 1 ppm
As > 33 ppm
Cd > 5 ppm
Cr > 80 ppm
Cu > 70 ppm
Hg> .15 ppm
Ni > 30 ppm
Pb > 35 ppm
Sb > 2 ppm
Sn > 3 ppm
Zn > 120 ppm
Tributyltin
TBT > 1 ppb
TBT 75 ppb
Province
101
16(9)
25(10)
55(11)
4(4)
66(10)
11(7)
8(6)
3(4)
0(0)
2(2)
21(9)
1(1)
KD
2(3)
1(1)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(6)
0(0)
22(8)
16(7)
<1(0)
<1(0)
<1(0)
6(5)
13(6)
4(2)
Large
Estuary
48
13(9)
21(9)
50(14)
4(5)
64(13)
8(6)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(3)
23(12)
0(0)
0(0)
2(3)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
11(8)
0(0)
24(12)
15(10)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
6(6)
12(7)
2(1)
Large
Tidal
River
10
30(18)
0(0)
60(28)
0(0)
80(25)
0(0)
30(28)
0(0)
0(0)
50(31)
80(35)
0(0)
20(25)
10(18)
20(25)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(16)
0(0)
60(29)
30(28)
10(16)
10(16)
0(0)
10(16)
55(29)
0(0)
Small
Estuary
43
28(13)
41(16)
68(17)
3(4)
64(17)
12(15)
24(20)
10(15)
0(0)
2(2)
13(9)
4(5)
0(0)
KD
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
2(1)
0(0)
1(1) .
4(4)
1(1)
0(0)
<1(0)
4(4)
16(12)
9(7)
Table 5 (cont.) 95% confidence Intervals associated with the proportion of the Loulslanlan Province and
estuarlne classes experiencing the levels of the listed parameters.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 17
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-------
SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
The Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment Program (EMAP) is a national
program initiated by EPA's Office of
Research and Development (ORD). EMAP
is an integrated federal program; ORD is
coordinating the planning and
implementation of EMAP with other federal
agencies including the Agricultural
Research Service (ARS), the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Forest
Service (FS), the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS), and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
These other agencies and offices
participate in the collection and analysis of
EMAP data and will use it to guide their
policy decisions, as appropriate.
EMAP-Estuaries (EMAP-E) represents one
portion of EMAP's efforts in near coastal
environments. These efforts are designed
to provide a quantitative assessment of the
regional extent of coastal environmental
problems by measuring status and change
in selected ecological condition indicators.
In 1991, EMAP-E initiated a demonstration
project in the estuaries of the Louisianian
Province (i.e., all estuarine areas located
along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico
between the Rio Grande River, TX and
Anclote Anchorage, FL). This Statistical
Summary reports on the 1991
Demonstration Project by:
providing preliminary estimates of the
current status of Louisianian Province
estuarine resources, and
describing the methods used to develop
these estimates.
1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE 1991
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE
DEMONSTRATION
The specifics of the planning activities of
the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration are documented in
Summers et al. (1991). Specifics related to
the conduct of the field sampling in 1991
can be found in Summers et al. (1992). In
1991, EMAP-E conducted the second in its
series of in-field demonstrations. This
demonstration was held in the Louisianian
Province to show the utility of regional
monitoring programs for assessing the
condition of estuarine resources. Sampling
was conducted from 9 July through 30
August spanning 202 sites utilizing 30 field
personnel and three program/logistical
coordinators.
The objectives of the 1991 Louisianian
Province Demonstration were to:
/
1) assess the condition of estuarine
resources in the Louisianian Province
using a probability-based sampling
design
2) evaluate the ability of a selected suite of
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 19
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ecological and environmental indicators
to discriminate among polluted and
unpolluted sites over a regional scale;
3) obtain data on Louisianian Province-
specific variability in measured
ecological parameters;
4) develop and refine analytical procedures
for using regional-scale monitoring data
to assess the ecological status of
estuaries and apply these procedures to
establish the'baseline conditions in the
Louisianian Province; and,
5) identify and resolve logistical problems
associated with sampling estuarine
resources in primarily shallow estuaries
spanning over 1800 miles of coastline
within a 4-6 week sampling period.
Objective #5 was discussed in the
Louisianian Province Field Activities Report
(Summers et al. 1992). Objectives #1 and
#3 are discussed in this report. The
remaining objectives (#2 and #4) are
discussed in the Louisianian Demonstration
Project Report (Summers et al. 1993).
1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES
AND ASSESSMENT
QUESTIONS
The environmental value depicted by the
EMAP-E in the Louisianian Province, as
well as other provinces, is estuarine
condition. The subvalues comprising
condition are ecological integrity and
societal values.
Ecological integrity is comprised of
ecosystem quality (estuarine trophic state
and acreage of submerged aquatic
vegetation) and biotic integrity (benthic
index and fish index). The primary
assessment questions relating to ecological
integrity addressed by the demonstration in
the Louisianian Province are:
• What proportion of the bottom waters of
the estuaries in the Louisianian Province
experience hypoxia (i.e., dissolved
oxygen concentrations < 2 ppm greater
than 20% of the time)?
• What proportion of the estuarine
sediments of the Louisianian Province
has benthic community structure
indicative of polluted environments?
• What proportion of the estuarine waters
of the Louisianian Province is eutrophic?
• What is the total acreage of submerged
aquatic vegetation in the Louisianian
Province?
• What proportion of fish populations in
the Louisianian Province has structural
characteristics similar to those indicative
of polluted environments?
Societal values are characterized by
consumptive uses (i.e., quantity and quality
of fishery stocks) and non-consumptive
uses (i.e., aesthetics and water contact).
The primary assessment questions related
to societal values are:
• What proportion of target fish in the
Louisianian Province has contaminant
concentrations in edible tissues greater
than FDA action limits?
• What proportion of target species in the
Louisianian Province have external
gross pathologies in excess of 0.5%?
• What proportion of estuarine sediments
in the Louisianian Province contain
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 20
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anthropogenic marine debris?
• What .proportion of estuarine waters in
the Louisianian Province have
insufficient water clarity to permit < 10%
of incident sunlight to reach a depth of
one foot?
• What proportion of estuarine waters in
the Louisianian Province have
unacceptable levels of microbial agents?
In addition, several assessment questions
relate to the relationships among the
response indicators measured to address
the above assessment questions and
stressor conditions in the estuaries of the
Louisianian Province. These questions
are:
• Are observed areas of eutrophic
condition in the Louisianian Province
associated with stressor conditions? .
• Are observed areas of poor biotic
community conditions in the Louisianian
Province associated with stressor
conditions?
• Are observed areas poor societal value
conditions in the Louisianian Province
associated with stressor conditions?
Many of these assessment questions are
addressed in this statistical summary;
however, the associational questions are
not addressed in this summary but are
addressed in the Louisianian Province
Demonstration Report (Summers et al.
1993).
1.3 PURPOSE AND
ORGANIZATION OF THIS
REPORT
The purpose of this report is to report
estimates of the ecological condition (and
environmental exposures) for the estuarine
resources of the Louisianian Province for
1991. In addition, information is provided
on the methodologies used to develop
these estimates. This report is meant to be
a summarization of all the data collected in
the 1991 Demonstration. As a result,
different topics are dealt with using varying
levels of detail based on their irnportance
to the estimation of ecological condition of
the estuarine resources of the Louisianian
Province.
The Statistical Summaries that will be
produced by EMAP-E are meant to provide
large quantities of information without
extensive interpretation of these data.
Interpretive reports are anticipated every 4-
5 years or in specialized documents such
as the Demonstration Report for the
Louisianian Province (Summers et al.
1992b). As a result, the Statistical
Summaries will provide only overview
information concerning sampling
methodologies, field logistics, the
development of indicators, and design
modifications. Since this is the first EMAP-
E Statistical Summary, additional or
expanded sections have been included for
certain areas to assist the reader in the
understanding what EMAP-E has done.
Also, to demonstrate the flexibility of the
EMAP-E sampling design in the
Louisianian Province, additional data
presentations (i.e., across states) are
provided, which may not be presented in
other future EMAP-E Statistical Summaries.
This report is organized info sections
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 21
-------
addressing the objectives of the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration.
Section 2 provides information about the
results of the 1991 Demonstration with
details of the regional ecological "report
card" for the estuaries of the Gulf of
Mexico.
Section 3 describes the quality
assurance/quality control procedures and
results of the 1991 Demonstration,
particularly with regard to the dissolved
oxygen measurements, sediment
contaminant analyses, biotic index
construction, and information management.
Section 4 summarizes the conclusions that
can be drawn from the 1991 Demonstration
in the Louisianian Province as they relate
to the stated objectives.
Section 5 lists the literature cited in this
report.
Appendix A provides a detailed description
of the Louisianian Province statistical
design, indicators, and methods.
Appendix B provides a series of
subpopulation estimates created from the
base monitoring data to represent the
conditions in the estuarine resources in the
five Gulf states.
Appendix C describes the estimation of
incremental cancer risk factors associated
with fish and shellfish tissue contaminant
concentrations.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 22
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SECTION 2
STATISTICAL SUMMARY
The EMAP indicator strategy in 1991
includes four types of ecological indicators
(Hunsacker and Carpenter 1990):
response, exposure, habitat, and stressor.
In this section, the statistical results of the
1991 Louisianiari Province Demonstration
are described for each indicator with each
discussion categorized by major indicator
type. No stressor indicator information was
collected in 1991 as a part of the
demonstration. The following discussion is
organized by indicator type into biotic and
abiotic condition indicators and habitat
indicators. In each instance, an indicator
will be described minimally with text, the
cumulative distribution function (CDF) for
that indicator will delineate the frequency of
occurrence of observations within the
province, and pie charts and bar graphs
will delineate the proportions of the
province or estuarine class showing
particular magnitudes.
2.1 BIOTIC INDICATORS
As previously described, biotic condition
indicators are characteristics of the
environment that provide quantitative
evidence of the status of ecological
resources and biological integrity of a
sample site from which they are drawn
(Messer 1990). Ecosystems with a high
degree of biotic integrity (i.e., healthy
ecosystems) are composed of balanced
populations of indigenous benthic and
water column organisms with species
compositions, diversity, and functional
organization comparable to natural habitats
(Karr and Dudley 1981; Karr et al. 1986).
Response measures Include
measurements of the kinds and
abundances of biota present and human
use parameters that describe human
perceptions of the condition of estuarine
systems. Biotic condition indicators
included in the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration included both measured and
derived indicators: number of benthic
species, abundance of total benthos, ;
benthic community composition, benthic
abundance by taxonomic group, a benthic
index of condition, number of fish species,
abundance of finfish, fish community
composition, target species abundances,
fish lengths, a fish index of condition, and
contaminants in fish (i.e., pesticides, PCBs,
and heavy metals).
2.1.1 NUMBER OF BENTHIC
SPECIES
Total number of benthic species has been
used to characterize the environment of
estuarine habitats. Three replicate benthic
grabs at each sampling location in the
Louisianian Province resulted in a
distribution of total number of benthic
species by grab ranging from 0 to nearly
90 species (Fig. 2-1). There are no
significant differences among the replicates
suggesting that, at least for population
estimates of species distribution, a single
replicate is acceptable. This lack of
differences was also supported by
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 23
-------
BENTHIC SPECIES RICHNESS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
so
7O-
QL so
to-
~~~~~~ ©rob 1
Grab 2
• • "Grab 3
1O 2O 3D 4O SO 6O 7O
NUMBER OF SPECIES
100
Figure 2-1. Cumulative distribution of benthlc species In the Loulslanlan Province In 1991 for three replicate grabs.
comparison of Monte Carlo results based
on randomly selected Grab numbers to
construct 500 CDFs. However, species
area curves of these data do suggest that
considerable diversity is gained by
collecting the replicates (Fig. 2-2). While
each grab appears to sample roughly the
same number of species, they do not
sample the same species. Mean species
richness in the Louisianian Province is
shown in Figure 2-3. Arbitrarily selecting 2
and 5 species as critical values for
"diverse" benthic communities results in
3.6% of the sediments in the province
having near mono-specific stands of
benthos, while 28% of the sediments have
communities comprised of 5 or fewer
species (Fig. 2-4). These reduced areas of
benthic species are primarily located in the
large tidal river class and to a lesser extent
in small estuaries .(Fig. 2-5). Benthic
diversity associated with the three grabs
varies widely over the province (Fig. 2-6)
with 4% of the province having a benthic
diversity of < 0.2 and 22% less than 0.4
(Fig. 2-7).
2.1.2 TOTAL BENTHIC
ABUNDANCE
Benthic abundance is another indicator of
the condition of biotic estuarine resources.
Abundant benthic organisms particularly in
communities characterized by multiple
species and feeding types suggest a
productive estuarine environment. Benthic
abundance in the three replicates ranged
from 0 to over 1200 organisms per grab
(Fig. 2-8) with no relative diffreince among
the replicates. Mean benthic abundance
(Fig.2-9) shows a range in benthic
abundance in the Louisianian Province of 0
to about 900 organisms per grab or over
20,000 organisms/m2. Using 10
organism/grab (about 200/m ) and 25/grab
(about 500/m2) as indicators of poor
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 24
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BENTH1C SPECIES AREA CURVES
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
Grab 1
Grab 1 + 2
Grab 1+2
0 10 M » 40 60 60 70 W «> 100 110 120 ISO 140
NUMBER OF SPECIES
Figure 2-2. Benthic species area curves in estuarlne sediments In the Louisianian Province in 1991 for three replicate grabs.
100-j
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
BENTH1C SPECIES RICHNESS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
MEAN NUMBER OF BENTHIC SPECIES
80
90
100
Figure 2-3. Cumulative distribution of mean benthic species richness in estuarine sediments in the Louisianian Province in
1991 (-) and its associated 95% confidence interval (—).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 25
-------
MEAN NUMBER OF BENTHIC SPECIES
LOUISIAKIAH PROVINCE - 1981
HUV. SPECIES 2-5
24.07*
HUH. SPECIES < 2
3.63*
HUM. SPECIES > 5
72.30»
TOTAL BENTHIC SPECIES < 2
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100-
80-
60-
40-
20-
LARGE RIVEI! SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-4. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province sediment Figure 2-5. Percent of area having sediments with total
associated with mean number of benthlc species categories In 1991. benthlc species < 2 for large estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and small estuaries.
BENTHIC DIVERSITY
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
o
OS
0.4
0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4
SHANNON-WIENER DIVERSITY INDEX
1.6
1.8 2.0
Figure 2-6. Cumulative distribution of benthlc diversity In estuarlne sediments In the Loulslanlan Province In 1991 for three
replicate grabs.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 26
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Mean Benthic Diversity Index
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
INDEX .2:4
18.4%
INDEX < .2
3.7%
INDEX > .4
77.9%
Figure 2-7. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province sediment
associated with mean benthlc species diversity categories In 1991.
condition and marginal condition,
respectively, 19% of Lousianian
Province sediments have poor
benthic abundance and an
additional 11 % have marginal
abundance (Fig. 2-10). These
areas of low abundance are
primarily associated with small
estuaries and large tidal rivers
where 36% and 50%, respectively,
of the sediments have benthic
abundances < 10 (Fig. 2-11).
2.1.3 BENTHIC
ABUNDANCE BY TAXA
The cumulative distribution
functions can be used to describe
the breakdown of the total benthic
abundance described above into
major taxonomic groups (Figs. 2-
12, 2-13, 2-14, 2-15).
BENTHIC ABUNDANCE
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
4OO «OO SOO 1OOO 12OO 14OO
Total Abundance
Figure 2-8. Cumulative distribution of benthic abundance In estuarine sediments In the Loulslanlan Province In 1991 for three
replicate grabs.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 27
-------
BENTHIC ABUNDANCE
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LU
a:
tu
O
ce
uj
a.
200
—i 1—
400 600
MEAN ABUNDANCE
BOO
—r
1000
Figure 2-9. Cumulative distribution of benthlc abundance in estuarlne sediments in the Louisianian Province In 1991 (-) and
Its associated 95% confidence Interval (—). .
Mean Benthic Abundance
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
ABUNDANCE < 10
19.34 %
ABUNDANCE 10-25
11.23%
ABUNDANCE > 25
69.38%
TOTAL BENTHIC
ABUNDANCE: < 10
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Rguro2-10. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province sediment Figure 2-11. Percent of area having sediments With total
associated with mean benthlc abundance categories In 1991.
benthlc abundance < 10 for largo estuaries, large tidal
rivers, and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 28
-------
BENTHIC AMPHIPOD ABUNDANCE
Figure 2
1991 (-)
100-
80-
80-
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
,^#y
f
3 4 :
£ 50|
£ 40-]!
Ul
°- 30-
20-
10
0-
Q 40 80 120
MEAN ABUNDANCE
160 200
-12. Cumulative distribution of benthic amphipod abundance In estuarlne sediments In the Louislanian Province in
and Its associated 95% confidence Interval ( — ).
BENTHIC DECAPOD ABUNDANCE
100-
90-
BO-
-e 70"
Ul
5 60-
£ 50-
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
^
ift
if'"
i
I
£ 40 \t
*- 30JJ
20-
10-
0-
0 10 20 30
MEAN ABUNDANCE
40 50
Figure 2-13. Cumulative distribution of benthic decapod abundance In estuarlne sediments in the Louislanian Province in
1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence interval (--).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 29
-------
-c
UJ
oc
1—
se
UJ
o
ce
a.
mn-
90-
80-
70-
60-
50-
•
40^
"i
BENTHIC BIVALVE ABUNDANCE
LOUISIANIAH PROVINCE - 1991
If
if
il
I;
K %
I
I
I
0 200 400 600 800 1000
MEAN ABUNDANCE
(•) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (—•).
BENTHIC POLYCHAETE ABUNDANCE
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
OS
UJ
T
200 300
HEAN ABUNDANCE
T
400
500
Rgure2-15. Cumulative distribution of benthlc polychaete abundance In estuarlne sediments In the Loulslianlan Province In
1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (--).
Statistical Summary. EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 30
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Over 50% of the sediments sampled in the
1991 Louisianian Province Demonstration
did not have amphipods as part of the
community (Fig. 2-12) while 40% did have
decapods. Bivalves and polychaetes were
represented in 85-95% of the sediments
sampled (Figs. 2-14 and 2-15).
2.1.4 BENTHIC INDEX
The construction of the benthic index is
described in Summers et al. (1993) and
Engle and Summers (1993). The
discriminant model that was developed
uses proportion of expected species
diversity and proportion of indicator species
to differentiate between the a priori
selected reference and affected sites
according to the relationship:
Discriminant Score =
(a.3841) * Proportion of Expected Diversity +
(-1.6728) * Percent of Tubificid Abundance +
(0.6683) * Percent of Bivalve Abundance.
The normalized discriminant scores for the
Louisianian Province in 1991 ranged from
0 to 10.8 (Fig. 2-16) . The break point
between degraded and undegraded sites
was based on the subset of stressed (high
sediment contaminants and toxicity and
hypoxia) and reference (low sediment
contaminants and toxicity and high
dissolved oxygen) at 4.1 (Engle and
Summers, 1993). About 30% of the
sediments in the Louisianian Province
contained benthic communities with
community structures similar to those
observed in heavily stressed environments
(Fig. 2-17). The highest proportion of
these communities occurring in large tidal
rivers (80%) and small estuaries (41%)
(Fig. 2-18). However, due to the disparate
sizes of the three classes, the large
estuaries contain 5000 km2 of degraded
benthos while the small and tidal rivers
combined contain 3100 km2 of poor
benthos.
BENTHIC INDEX
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
-1—; r
6 8
BENTHIC INDEX
10
12
Figure 2-16. Cumulative distribution of benthic index of estuarine integrity in Louisianian Province estuaries in 1991 (-) and
Its associated 95% confidence interval (—).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 31
-------
BENTHIC INDEX
Loubtantan Provfnca - 1991
Inctox < 4.1
31.2%
Index > 6.1
44.0%
Indox 4.1-6.1
24.8%
BENTHIC INDEX < 4.1
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
UI
Q.
100
90
80
70
60'
50
40
30
20
10
80.0
40.5
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Rguro 2-17. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province sediment
associated with benthlc Index categories In 1991.
Figure 2-18. Percent of area having sediments with
benthlc index < 4.1 for large estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and small estuaries.
2.1.5 NUMBER OF FISH SPECIES
Total number of fish species has been
used to characterize the environmental
condition of estuarine habitats. A single
10-min trawl, taken at each sampling
location in the Louisianian Province,
resulted in a distribution of total number of
nekton species per trawl ranging from 0 to
15 species (Fig. 2-19), resulting in 101
species collected throughout the province.
If fewer than 5 fish were collected in the
trawl, a second trawl was collected.
Arbitrarily selecting 0 and 1 species as
values for "diverse" fish communities
results in 3.5% of the province having no
fish taken in multiple trawls, while 15% of
the province had nekton communities
comprised of 1 or less species (Fig. 2-20).
Areas having minimal < 2 nekton species,
are primarily located in the large tidal river
class and to a lesser extent in large
estuaries (Fig. 2-21).
2.1.6 TOTAL FINFISH
ABUNDANCE
Finfish abundance is another indicator of
the condition of biotic estuarine resources.
Abundant nektonic organisms particularly in
communities characterized by multiple
species and feeding types suggest a
productive estuarine food web. Finfish
abundance in the trawls taken ranged from
0 to over 700 organisms per trawl (Fig. 2-
22). Using 2 organisms/trawl and 5/trawl
as indicators of poor condition and
marginal condition, respectively, 7% of
Lousianian Province waters have poor
finfish abundances and an additional 14%
have marginal abundance (Fig. 2-23).
These areas of low abundance are
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 32
-------
NUMBER OF SPECIES PER TRAWL
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
UJ
o
as
LU
5 10
NUMBER OF SPECIES
:lgure 2-19. Cumulative distribution of number of fish species in Loulslanlan Province estuaries In 1991 (-) and Its associated
95% confidence Interval (--)• ••
Number of Nekton
Species in First Trawl
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
1 SPECIES
11.46%
0 SPECIES
3.54%
>1 SPECIES
85.00%
Number of Nekton
Species < 2
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50-
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-20. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province sediment
associated with number of nekton species categories In 1991.
Figure 2-21. Percent of area having sediments with
number of nekton species < 2 for large estuaries, large
tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
Statistical St/m/nary, EMAP-E Louisianlan Province -1991
Page 33
-------
UJ
ce
t—
ae
o
DC
U4
0.
too-
90-
80-
70-
60-
50-
40-
30-
20-
10-
n-
RSH ABUNDANCE PER TRAWL
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
'/ •*' " "
••'/•'
W
•}•'
V
\
B 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 BO
CPUE (NEKTON)
0 ,
confidence Interval (—).
TOTAL NEKTON ABUNDANCE
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
ABUNDANCE < 2
6.79%
ABUNDANCE 2-5
14.43%
ABUNDANCE > 5
78.73%
Total Nekton Abundance < 2
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50
40
30-
22,22
URGE RIVER SMAU
ClASS
Rgure 2-23. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province Figure 2-24. Percent of area having sediments with
sediment associated with abundance of nekton categories In nekton abundance < 2 for large esCuaries, large tidal
" rivers, and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 34
-------
primarily associated with large tidal rivers
where 22% of the class waters have finfish
abundances < 2 (Fig. 2-24).
2.1.7 GROSS PATHOLOGY
The frequency and type of gross pathology
associated with nekton taken in the fish
trawls is an indicator of the overall
condition of fish collected in trawls. All fish
that were collected during the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration were
examined by the field crews for external
gross pathologies, such as tumors and
lesions. Over 8000 fish were examined for
gross pathologies and a total of 52 external
pathologies were noted. Less than 2% of
the area of the Louisianian Province
produced trawls with > 2 pathologies/trawl
(Fig. 2-25). Overall in the province < 1%
(6 fish in 1,000) of the fish examined had
visible pathological disorders (Fig. 2-26).
The prevalence of abnormalities for
demersal and pelagic fish (0.7% and 0.8%,
respectively) were about the same as the
background level observed for all fish
(0.6%). However, upper trophic level fish
(e.g., piscivores) and commercial and
recreational species demonstrated a
significantly higher incidence of pathology
(3.3% and 1.5%, respectively) (Fig. 2-26).
Examples of upper trophic level fish.are
seatrouts, permits, and spadefish.
Commercially and recreationally important
species included seatrouts, Atlantic
croaker, and permit.
The prevalence of visible pathologies
differed somewhat among the three classes
of estuarine resources but all demonstrated
pathology rates of < 1% (Fig. 2-27). Only
the incidence rate in small estuaries was
significantly different from the background
incidence (a < 0.10). Sand seatrout and
threadfin shad had visible pathology rates
that were clearly higher than the observed
background while Atlantic croaker and sea
catfish were somewhat higher. Although
statistically significant from the background
rate, the higher incidence of pathologies in
permit, harvestfish, spottail pinfish,
FISH PATHOLOGIES
LOUiSIANSAN PROVINCE - 1991
1-2
10.84%
0
87.25%
Figure 2-25. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province
associated with the indicated numbers of fish pathologies/trawl in
1991.
spadefish, and yellowfin menhaden are not
supportable due to the small number of
individuals of these species examined (<
100 fish).
2.1.8 MARINE DEBRIS
The presence of marine debris is one of
the obvious indicators of estuarine
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 35
-------
FREQUENCY OF
FISH PATHOLOGIES
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
3.28
0 89 0.7D 0.76
1.45
ALL
FISH
DEMERSAL PELAGIC
UPPER
TROPHIC
COMMERCIAL
Rgtire 2-26. Incidence rate of visible pathologies In all fish: demersal, pelagic, upper trophic level and commercially and
rocroatlonally Important fish observed In Loulslanlan Province.
"degradation" from a human use
perspective. The presence of trash in the
water and along the bottom reduces the
value of the water body as a recreational
resource. During the 1991 Louisianian
Province Demonstration the presence of
marine debris was noted under these
circumstances and the type of the trash
was determined (e.g., plastic,
anthropogenic wood, metal, glass, etc.).
Over 16% of the surface area of the
Louisianian Province contained at least one
item of marine debris. The estuarine
classes with the largest proportion of
sediment with marine debris were large
tidal rivers with 30% coverage and small
estuaries with 25% coverage. Large
estuaries, because of their size, had over
2300 km2 estimated with some trash
(12.5%) (Fig. 2-28).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 36
-------
FREQUENCY OF
FISH PATHOLOGIES
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
10
0.42
0.81
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-27. Incidence rate of visible pathologies in large
estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
2.1.9 WATER CLARITY
Another "social" or human use criterion for
good condition of an estuary is water clarity
and the lack of noxious odors. The
presence of odors was noted at each
sampling site during the Demonstration;
however, no sites were classified as having
any unusual odor. Water clarity was
measured using a comparison of surface
ambient light and the amount of light
reaching any depth (measurements were
taken every meter to the bottom). For the
sake of relative comparison, the proportion
of incident light reaching 1 meter was used
as the standard for all sites (i.e., all sites
were at least 1 m in depth). The proportion
MARINE DEBRIS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50-
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-28. Percent of area having sediments with marine
debris In large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
of light transmittance at 1 meter ranged
from near 0.0% to about 90% (Fig. 2-29).
Using 10% transmittance (i.e., 10% of
surface light) as a measure of "turbid"
clarity (i.e., cannot see your hand in front of
your face), 25% of the Louisianian Province
experienced turbid water clarity (Fig. 2-30).
Alternatively, using 25% transmittance as a
measure of moderate clarity (cannot see
your toes in waist deep water), resulted in
60% of the Louisianian Province had water
clarity that could not pass this visual test. .
The poorest water clarity occurred in small
estuaries with 41% permitting the
transmittance of <10% of surface light to a
depth of 1 m (Fig. 2-31).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 37
-------
WATER CLARFTY
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100-f
PAR
Rgure2-29. Cumulative distribution of water clarity In Loulslanlan Province estuaries In 1991 (-) Its associated 95% confidence
Interval (—).
PERCENT TRANSMITTANCE
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE! - 1991
< 10%
25.4%
> 25%
40.4%
10% < X < 25%
34.2%
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Flgure2-30. Percentof areaof the Loulslanlan Province waters Figure 2-31. Percent of area having waters with PAF
PAR
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50
40-
associated with water clarity categories.
ratio < 10% for large estuaries, large tld'al rivers, and
small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisfanian Province -1991
Page 38
-------
2.1.10 FISH TISSUE
CONTAMINANTS
Three sets of target species were
examined for the concentrations of
selected contaminants in edible flesh.
These were: shrimp (brown and white),
Atlantic croaker, and catfish (hardhead,
gafftopsail, and blue catfish). The edible
portions of the shrimps were defined as the
tail meat with the shell removed, as the
fillet with skin for Atlantic croaker, and as
the fillet without skin for the catfish. All
samples represented a composite of 4-10
individuals collected from a single site.
Initially, criteria levels for pesticides, PCBs,
and mercury were taken from USFDA
standards (USFDA 1982, 1984) with the
exception of hexachlorobenzene, lindane,
endosulfan, and trans-nonachlor for which
American standards were not available.
Swedish standards were substituted for
hexachlorobenzene and lindane (Nauen
1983). Other than mercury, no USFDA
standards were available for metals;
therefore, metals criteria reflect the means
of international limits (Nauen 1983).
No pesticide or PCB concentrations
exceeding the specified criteria were found
in shrimp (Table 2-1). The highest
concentration of a pesticide found was 296
ppb DDT (compared to the standard of
5000). However, 4% of the shrimp
sampled contained greater than the criteria
levels for arsenic while 4% exceeded the
chromium standard. Arsenic levels
observed in tissue probably reflect a non-
toxic form of arsenic (arsenobetaine or
arsenocholine) commonly seen in some
seafood (Norin et al. 1983, Beauchemin et
al. 1988, Siuetal. 1989).
No pesticide or PCB concentrations
exceeding the specified FDA action limits
Contaminant
Observed
Range
Criterion
Pesticides (ng/g wwt)
ODD 0-4.9
DDE 0-1.7
DDT 0-74.0
Aldrin 0-1.6
Chlordane 0-1.9
Dieldrin 0-1.6
Endosulfan • 0-0.0
Endrin 0-12.8
Heptachlor 0-0.0
Heptachlor Epoxide 0-3.9
Hexachlorobenzene 0-2.5
Lindane 0-0.0
Mirex 0-43.5
Toxaphene 0-0.0
Trans-Nonachlor 0-1.3
PCBs (ng/g wwt)
21 Congeners 0-16.1
Total PCBs 0-30.3
Heavy Metals (ng/g wwt)
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
0-78.5
0-3.9
0-0.3
0-6.1
0-9.6
0-0.3
0-0.3
0-9.0
0-0.3
0-0.3
0-1.1
1-18.8
5000
5000
5000
300
300
300
NA2
300
300
300
200
,200
100
5000
.NA
500
2000
NA
2
0.5
1
15
0.5
1
NA
1
NA
NA
60
Proportion
Exceeding
Criterion
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u3
0%
0%
u
4%
0%
4%
0%
0%
0%
u
0%
u
u
0%
1 Criteria were selected from FDA established limits for
pesticides and PCBs (USFDA 1982, 1984) except
hexachlorobenzene and lindane which are based on Swedish
limits (Nauen 1983); no FDA limits exist for metals other than
mercury; metals criteria reflect mean of international limits
(Nauen 1983)
2NA = Not available
3U = Unknown because no criterion level available
Table 2-1. Overview of the contaminant levels observed In edible
flesh of brown shrimp and white shrimp (N=370).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 39
-------
Contaminant Observed Criterion1
range
Pesticides (ng/gwwt)
ODD 0-16.0
DDE 0-3.5
DDT 0-24.2
Aldrin 0-3.2
Chlordana 0-8.2
Dioldrin 0-26.2
Endosulfan 0-1.7
Endrin 0-22.5
Hoptachior 0-5.7
Hoptachior Epoxide 0-16.7
Hexachlorobenzene 0-77.4
Llndane 0-0.0
Mirex 0-88.5
Toxaphone 0-1800
Trans-Nonachlor 0-1.3
PCBs (ng/g\vwt)
21 Congenora 0-40.6
Total PCBs 0-62.5
Heavy Metals (ng/g wwt)
Aluminum 0-6.9
Arsenic 0-2.1
Cadmium 0-0.1
Chromium 0-0.3
Copper 0-5.3
Lead 0-0.3
Mercury 0-0.4
Nickel 0-0.3
Selenium 0-0.3
Silver 0-1.8
Tin 0-0.7
Zinc 1-11.8
1Criteria were selected from FDA
pesticides and PCBs (USFDA
hexachlorobenzene and lindane
5000
5000
5000
300
300
300
NA
300
300
300
200
200
100
5000
NA
500
2000
NA
2
0.5
1
15
0.5
1
NA
1
NA
NA
60
Proportion
Exceeding
Criterion
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
U
0%
0%
0%
2%
0%
0%
0%
, U
0%
0%
U
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u%
0%
u%
u%
0%
established limits for
1982. 1984) except
which are based on
Swedish limits (Nauen 1983); no FDA limits exist for
metals other than mercury; metals criteria reflect mean of
international limits (Nauen 1983)
Contaminant Observed Criterion1 Proportion
Range
Pesticides (ng/gwwt)
ODD 0-207.4
DDE 0-12.2
DDT 0-39.4
Aldrin 0-2.7
Chlordane 0-6.1
Dieldrin 0-24.4
Endosulfan 0-1.8
Endrin 0-10.1
Heptachlor 0-5.7
Heptachlor Epoxide 0-5.7
Hexachlorobenzene 0-4.0
Lindane 0-4.1
Mirex 0-30.7 !
Toxaphene . 0-1400
Trans-Nonachlor 0-4.3
PCBs (ng/gwwt)
21 Congeners 0-19.5
Total PCBs 0-67.9
Heavy Metals (ng/gwwt)
Aluminum 0-105.1
Arsenic 0-10.1
Cadmium 0-0.4
Chromium 0-0.8
Copper 0-10.3
Lead 0-0.4
Mercury 0-1.2
Nickel 0-0.7
Selenium . 0-0.4
Silver 0-0.3
Tin 0-1.2
Zinc 1-234.0
1 Criteria were selected from FDA
pesticides and PCBs (USFDA
Exceeding
Criterion
5000 0%
5000 0%
5000 0%
300 0%
300 0%
300 0%
NA U
300 0%
300 0%
300 0%
200 0%
200 0%
100 0%
5000 0%
NA U
J300 0%
2000 0%
NA U
2 8%
0.5 0%
1 0%
15 0%
0.5 0%
1 1%
NA U
1 0%
NA U
NA U
60 2%
established limits for
1982, 1984) except
hexachlorobenzene and lindane which are based on
Swedish limits (Nauen 1983); no
FDA limits exist for
metals other than mercury; metals criteria reflect mean of
international limits (Nauen 1983)
Table 2-2. Overview of the contaminant levels observed In
edible flesh of Atlantic croaker (N=580). NA= Not available;
U= Unknown, no criterion level Is available.
Table 2-3. Overview of the contaminant levels observed In
edible flesh of catfish (N=1130). NA:= Not available; U=
Unknown as no criterion level Is available.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 40
-------
were found in Atlantic croaker (Table 2-2).
As with shrimp, some metal concentrations
in croaker fillets exceeded the criteria level
for several metals. This exceedance was
for arsenic where 3% of the croakers
examined had > 2 ppm arsenic.
No pesticide or PCB concentrations
exceeding the specified FDA action limits
were found in marine catfish (Table 2-3).
Again, like shrimp and croaker, several
heavy metals exceeded the international
standards with 8% of catfish in excess of 2
ppm arsenic, 2% in excess of 60 ppm zinc,
and 1% in excess of 1 ppm mercury.
2.1.11 INTEGRATION OF
ESTUARINE CONDITIONS
A single index value has been developed
to summarize the overall condition of the
estuaries in the Louisianian Province by
combining the benthic index, marine debris,
water clarity and tissue contaminants,
weighted equally. This single value
includes an index of societal values
(aesthetics) and estuarine biotic integrity
based on benthic assemblages (Fig. 2-32).
Indicators relating to biotic integrity and
aesthetics were used to estimate overall
environmental conditions in the estuaries.
Fifty-three percent of the estuarine area in
the Louisianian Province showed evidence
of degraded biological resources or was
impaired with respect to its ability to
support activities valued by society (Fig. 2-
32). Of the 25,725 km2 of estuarine
surface area in the Louisianian Province,
13,550 km2 were potentially degraded.
The location of degraded biological
resources were sometimes different from
those having aesthetic problems. Both
sets of conditions were found in 16% of the
estuarine area, whereas degraded
biological conditions alone were found in
16% of the province and degraded human
use alone was found in 21% of the
Louisianian Province.
However, the use of PAR < 0.1 as a
degraded human use is questionable.
Most of the turbid conditions are observed
in southwestern Louisiana and Texas as a
result of natural flows of the rivers in
Louisiana and eastern Texas. It is
debateable whether this represents a
negative ecological condition. Overall
ecological condition for the Louisianian
Province is also displayed without
degraded PAR as a variable (Fig. 2-32b)
In this instance, the degraded area of the
province, 39.8%, corresponds to 10,240
km2 with 9% experiencing degraded
biology and human use. Degraded biology
alone is observed in 22% of the province
while degraded human use alone is seen in
8% of the Louisianian Province.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 41
-------
ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE 1991
Both
15.Bx
Undegraded
47.3x
Degraded Biology
15.9»
Impaired Use
21.Ox
Undegraded
60.2x
Degraded Biology
22.4x
mpaired Use
.2%
Rguro 2-32. Summary of environmental conditions In Loulslanlan Province In 1991 (a) and without PAR i[b).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 42
-------
2.2 EXPOSURE INDICATORS
Exposure indicators have historically been
the mainstay of environmental monitoring
programs. Indicators of pollutant exposure
measured during the 1991 Louisianian
Province Demonstration were dissolved
oxygen concentration (instantaneous and
continuous), sediment toxicity (Ampelisca
and mysids), sediment contaminants (27
alkanes, 43 PAHs, 25 pesticides, 20 PCB
congeners, 4 butyltins, and 15 heavy
metals).
2.2.1 DISSOLVED OXYGEN
(INSTANTANEOUS)
As stated earlier, dissolved oxygen (DO)
concentration is important because it is a
fundamental requirement of populations of
benthos, fish, shellfish, and other aquatic
biota. DO was measured in two ways
during the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration: instantaneous point
measures at 1-m depth intervals during
sampling and deployed continuous
recordings of dissolved oxygen for a 24-
hour period.
The cumulative distribution functions of
instantaneous dissolved oxygen
concentrations at depth intervals showed,
as would be expected, an increased
tendency toward lower concentrations with
depth (Figures 33-37). Minimum DO
concentrations derived from province-wide
instantaneous estimates decreased from
4.4 ppm at the surface to 4.0 ppm at 1 m,
3.0 ppm at 2.0 m, 0.6 ppm at 3 m, and 0.0
at the bottom. The minima show this
steady decline with depth reflecting the
SURFACE DISSOLVED OXVGEN
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
68 10 12
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (ppm)
14
16
18
Figure 2-33. Cumulative distribution of dissolved oxygen concentrations based on instantaneous data at surface in the
Louisianian Province In 1991 (-) and its associated 95% confidence interval (--).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 43
-------
O
Q£
UJ
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
o^
DISSOLVED OXYGEN AT 1 METER
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
6 8 10 12
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (ppm)
H
—i—
16
—r
IB
Figure 2-34. Cumulative distribution of dissolved oxygen concentrations based on Instantaneous date at 1 m In the
Loulslanlan Province In 1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (—). "
U4
tae
-c
UJ
O
100
90
80
70
BO
50
40
30
20
10
0'
DISSOLVED OXYGEN AT 2 METERS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
4 6 8 10 12
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (ppn)
14
18
Rgure 2-35. Cumulative distribution of dissolved oxygen concentrations based on Instantaneous data at: 2 m bottom In the
Loulslanlan Province In 1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (—).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 44
-------
DISSOLVED OXYGEN AT 3 METERS
100-
90-
80-
„. 70-
% 60-
£ 50-
oe 40-
"- 30;
20-
10-
0-
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
"1
t
ft
> ff'
s-fji
^^--^-/---//
rf^-**"1***^. - •***
0 2 4 6
^ '
s
8 10 12 14 16 18
, DISSOLVED OXYGEN (ppm)
Figure 2-36. Cumulative distributfon of dissolved oxygen concentrations based on Instantaneous data at 3 m In the Loulslanlan
Province In 1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (—).
Ul
o
100-i
90
80
70
60
50
40
90
20-i
10
0
BOTTOM DISSOLVED OXYGEN
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
4 6 8 10 12
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (ppm)
14
16
18
Figure 2-37. Cumulative distribution of dissolved oxygen concentrations based on instantaneous data at bottom in the
Loulslanlan Province In 1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (--)..
Statistical Summary, EMAPrE Louisianian Province -1991
Page 45
-------
stratified nature of some estuaries.
However, the median values change very
little (ranging from 7.0 at the surface to 6.0
at the bottom) suggesting that most
estuaries in the Louisianian Province are
well mixed. Surface dissolved oxygen
concentrations were rarely observed to be
below 5 ppm during the daylight sampling
(Fig. 2-38) while bottom DO concentrations
were below 5 ppm for 15% of the province
and below 2 ppm for 6% of the province
(Fig. 2-39). Bottom dissolved oxygen
concentrations < 5 ppm were seen in all
three estuarine classes with small estuaries
displaying the greatest extent at 17% of the
class resources, with large estuaries at
15%, and large tidal rivers at 10% (Fig. 2-
40). Contrastingly, the proportion of class
resources that experienced DO
concentrations < 2 ppm were almost
exclusively within the large estuary class
where 8% were characterized by these
conditions. Small estuaries and large tidal
rivers had virtually no incidence of DO
concentrations below 2 ppm during daylight
sampling (Fig. 2-41).
Dissolved Oxygen - Surface
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
> 6 ppm
98%
Figure 2-38. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province
surface waters associated with major dissolved oxygen
concentration categories In 1991. •
Dissolved Oxygen - Bottom
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
2-5 ppm
9.2%
< 2 ppm
6.1%
• > 5 ppm
84.7%
Figure 2-39. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province bottom
waters associated with major dissolved oxygen concentration
categories In 1991.
BOTTOM DISSOLVED
OXYGEN < 5 PPM
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50
40
LARGE
RIVER
CLASS
SMALL
Figure 2-40. Percent of area of bottom waters with DO < 5 ppm
for large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 46
-------
BOTTOM DISSOLVED
OXYGEN < 2 PPM
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
SO
40
30
OS
UJ
a.
20
0.7
LARGE RIVER SHALL
CLASS
Figure 2-41. Percent of area having bottom waters with
dissolved oxygen concentrations < 2 ppm for large
estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
2.2.2 DISSOLVED OXYGEN -
(CONTINUOUS)
Unlike the instantaneous measures, the
continuous dissolved oxygen concentration
measurements provide a complete picture
of the DO conditions within an estuary by
including periods of high water column and
sediment respiration periods (i.e., night).
Continuous bottom DO concentrations in
the Louisianian Province ranged from 0-12
ppm (Fig. 2-42) and are somewhat similar
to the instantaneous bottom measures (Fig.
37). However, the continuous
measurements show an increased -
prevalence of concentrations below 5 ppm
suggesting a significant day-night
difference in DO concentrations.
The continuous measures were collected
because earlier studies (Summers and
Engle 1992) showed that a combination of
Ul
ae
CONTINUOUS DISSOLVED OXTGEN
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
T"
6 B
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (ppm)
10
12
14
Figure 2-42. Cumulative distribution of dissolved oxygen concentrations In bottom waters based on 24 hours of continuous
data In the Louisianian Province In 1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (—).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 47
-------
daily minimum DO concentration and the
incidence of DO concentrations < 2 ppm
for > 20% of the deployed period could be
used to successfully characterize an
estuary as "good" or "hypoxic" with regard
to DO conditions. Minimum DO
concentrations resulting from continous
recordings showed that 12% of the
province experienced DO conditions below
2 ppm (Fig. 2-43) while 37% of the
province had minima < 5 ppm (Fig. 2-44).
Based on the above estimation technique,
this represents a 6% increase in the
estuarine bottom area experiencing low DO
conditions. Thus, an additional 6% of
province estuaries experience low DO
conditions at night. Similarly, an additional
12% of estuaries in the Louisianian
Province experience DO conditions < 5
ppm. Unlike daylight conditions where
large estuaries predominated lower DO
conditions, continuous measurements show
that small estuaries experience DO
conditions below 2 ppm more frequently
than large estuaries (Fig. 2-45),, Thus,
there are two types of low DO conditions in
the Louisianian Province: continuous and
cyclic. Systems experiencing low bottom
DO conditions continuously (day and night)
include about 8% of the large estuarine
surface area within the province (e.g.,
Mobile Bay, parts of Chandeleur Sound).
However, numerous small estuaries
throughout the province (accounting for
16% of the area of this class) exhibit high
DO concentrations during the day and low
concentrations at night. Ah additional 3%
of large estaurine surface area appears to
also cycle enough to experience "hypoxic"
DO conditions at night. All estuaries
exhibit DO cycling to some degree.
However, the cyclic nature described here
suggests wide amplitude changes in
concentrations from day to night in many
small estuaries. Typically, daily dissolved
oxygen concentrations in these small
MINIMUM DISSOLVED OXYGEN
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
U4
100
90
80
70
50
50
40
30
20
10-
0-
468
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (ppm)
10
12
14
Rguro 2.43. Cumulative distribution of minimum dissolved oxygen concentration bottom waters based on continuous data
(-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (—).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 48
-------
Minimum Dissolved Oxygen
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
DO < 2 ppm
D02-5
DO > 5 ppm
«2.74%
Figure 2-44. Percent of area of the Loulslanian Province
bottom waters associated with dissolved oxygen minima
categories In 1991.
MINIMUM D.O. < 2 PPM
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
' SO
40-
Ul
3j 30
g ]
10
15.8
10.9
LARGE SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-45. Percent of area having bottom waters with
dissolved oxygen minima < 2 ppm for large estuaries,
large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen
(% Time < 2 ppm)
IOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
>20% lime
11.1%
<20% Time
68.9%
Figure 4-46. Percent of area of the Loulslanian Province
bottom waters that experience dissolved oxygen
concentrations < 2 ppm for > 20% of 24 hour period In
1991.
systems range from 0-2 ppm at night to 6-
10 ppm during daylight hours. Examination
of the duration of low DO conditions in the
Lpuisianian Province showed that 11% of
the province exhibited DO concentrations
below 2 ppm for greater than 5 hours
during the day (20% of time)(Fig. 2-46).
These measurements were about equally
partitioned among the large and small
estuarine classes (Fig. 2-47). Comparison
of the minima values (Fig. 2-43) and the
duration values (Fig. 2-47) shows that all
large systems experiencing low DO
conditions (11%) display these conditions
for extended periods of time. However,
about 4% of the small estuaries having
minimum DO values < 2 ppm experienced
these conditions for periods of less than 5
hours. These small systems experiencing
low duration, low DO daily events are
typical of dystrophic systems like estuarine
swamps or bayous.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 49
-------
Continuous DO
(>20% Time < 2 ppm)
LOUIS1ANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
SO-
40-
30-
11.7
Ill
LARGE SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-47. Percent of area having bottom waters with
dissolved oxygen concentrations < 2 ppm for > 20% of 24
hour period for targe estuaries, large tidal rivers, and
small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianiah Province -1991
Page 50
-------
2.2.3 SEDIMENT TOXICITY -
AMPELISCA ABDITA
Sediment toxicity tests were performed on
the composited surface sediments
collected from each sampling site. Tests
included a standard 10-day acute test
(Swartz et al. 1985; ASTM 1990) using the
tube-dwelling amphipod, Ampelisca abdita.
About 8% of the sediments collected in the
Louisianian Province were toxic to the
amphipods. In these sediments, mortality
rates were >20% higher than those
observed in the controls (Fig. 2-48). The
estuarine sampling class with the largest
proportion of toxic sediment was the large
tidal river class (67%) while small estuaries
(14%) and large estuaries (6%) showed
toxicity to a lesser extent (Fig. 2-49).
However, on a province-wide scale, most
of the toxic sediments occur in large
estuaries (1110 km2) with small estuaries
contributing 1020 km2 of toxic sediments
and the large tidal rivers only displaying
92 km2.
AMPEUSCA SEDIMENT TOXICiTY
LOUISIMIIAN PROVINCE - 1991
TOXIC
8.37i
NON-TOXIC
91.63«
Figure 2-48. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province
sediment toxicity categories based on 10-day Ampelisca
bloassays In 1991.
AMPELISCA SEDIMENT
TOXICITY < 80% SURVIVAL
10UIISMNMN fflOVJNCJ? - JPPI
too-
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-49. Percent of sediment area having < 80%
survival rates In 10-day Ampelisca bloassays.
2.2.4 SEDIMENT TOXICITY-
MYSIDOPSIS BAHIA
Because Ampelisca abdita is relatively
uncommon in the estuaries of the
Louisianian Province and had to be
purchased and transported from California,
a second organism, Mysidopsis bahia, was
tested to see whether it provided the same
results on a province-wide scale as the
amphipod. Mysids are readily culturable
but do not clearly insinuate themselves into
the sediments. Mysid contact with the
sediments is frequent but not continuous
whereas the tube-dwelling amphipod is
generally involved with the tested
sediments. About 7% of the sediments in
the Louisianian Province was toxic to
mysids resulting in mortalities >20% higher
than those observed in control tests (Fig. 2-
50). This figure compares favorably with
the 8% observed for Ampelisca toxicity.
The major differences between Ampelisca
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 51
-------
MYSID SEDIMENT TOX1CFTY
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
TOXIC
7.23*
NON-TOXIC
92.77*
MYSID SEDIMENT TOXICITY
< 80% SURVIVAL
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50-
40'
30'
20-
10
10.0 10.1
6-3 H •
JjULl
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Rgura 2-50. Percent of area of the Louisianian Provided
toxldty categorls* bated on 4-day myald bloassaya In 1991.
and mysid testing are shown in Figures 2-
49 and 2-51 where the percentage of area
In the large tidal river class varies widely;
67% for Ampelisca and 10% for mysids.
However! the observed toxicities in the
large and small estuaries are almost
identical. Thus, Ampelisca and mysid
testing compare favorably and produce
similar results for the extent of toxic
sediment in the province (2150 km2 for
Ampelisca and 1880 km2 for mysids) and
comparable class estimates for the large
estuaries (1110 km2 vs. 1165 km2) and
small estuaries (1017 km2 vs 720 km2).
2.2.5 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS
- ALKANES AND ISOPRENOIDS
Alkanes and isoprenoids are contaminants
associated primarily with the petroleum
industry. Sediments collected throughout
sediment Figure 2-51. Percent of (sediment area having < 80%
survival rates In 4-day mysid bloaesays for large
estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
the Louisianian Province were analyzed for
27 individual alkanes and total alkanes.
The distribution of observed concentrations
for total alkaneb in Louisianian Province
sediments is shown in Figure 2-52
depicting concentrations ranging from 65-
20,613 ppb. Abqut 8% of |he sediments in
the province are characterized by alkane
concentrations in excess of 7000 ppb (Fig.
2-53). No alkanes at concentrations
> 7000 ppb were observed in the large
tidal river class but these concentrations
were seen in 8.3% of the large estuarine
sediments and 11.6% of small estuarine
sediments (Fig. 2-54). The ranges of
concentrations and the percentage
province-wide areas in excess of 1000 ppb
for the 27 individual alkanes analyzed are
shown in Table 2-4.
Statisticaf Summary, EMAP-ELouisianian Province-1991
Page 52
-------
TOTAL ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
30 9 12 IS
TOTAL ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS (ppb x 1000)
18
=lgure 2-52. Cumulative distribution of total alkanes in estuartne sediments In the LouWanlan Province in 1991 (-) and Its
associated 95% confidence Interval (—).
TOTAL ALKANES
AND ISOPRENQIDS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
< 5000 PPi
89.6%
5000-7000 PPB
2.1%
>7000 PPB
8.3%
TOTAL ALKANES (PPB) > 7000
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50
30
20
11.6
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
=iaure 2-53 Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province sediment Figure 2-54. Percent of area having sediments with total
associated with total alkane concentration categories in 1991. alkanes > 7000 ppb for large estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 53
-------
Alkana
010
C11
CIS
C13
C14
CIS
C16
ci7
Pristane
C18
Phytane
C19
C20
021
C22
C23
C24
C25
C26
C27
C28
029
030
031
032
C33
034
TOTAL
Range (ppb)
0- 76
0-188
0- 78
0- 66
0- 73
0- 840
2- 552
3-2503
2-2062
2- 623
2 - 1860
2- 739
3- 289
3- 368
3- 75
4- 342
3- 202
4- 706
2- 253
3 - 1952
3- 1047
2 -10246
2- 587
0 - 2879
0- 730
0 - 1700
0- 153
65- 20613
Percent Area
> 1000 ppb
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
2%
4%
0%
4%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
3%
<1%
3%
0%
5%
0%
<1%
0%
8%
Tablo 2-4. Alkano concentration ranges measured In the
1991 LP Demonstration and the percentage of province
sediments exceeding 1000 ppb for Individual alkanes and
7000 ppb for total alkanes.
2.2.6 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS
- POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC
HYDROCARBONS
Forty-three individual polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed from
the collected Louisianian Province
sediments. The distribution of the total of
these 43 PAHs is shown in Fig. 2-55
ranging from 13 ppb to about 7000 ppb.
None of the sampled sediments exceeded
the median Long and Morgan (1990)
criteria of 35,000 ppb although 3% of the
sediments did exceed their lower criterion
(4000 ppb) for ecological effects (Fig. 2-
56). All of the PAH concentrations
exceeding 4000 ppb were found in small
estuaries.These conditions comprised over
10% of the sediments in that class (Fig. 2-
57). The ranges of individuals PAHs, the
criteria used, and the extent .to which
observations exceeded these criteria are
shown in Table 2-5.
2.2.7 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS
- POLYCYCLIC CHLORINATED
BIPHENYLS
Twenty polycyclic chlorinated biphenyl
(PCB) congeners were analyzed from the
Louisianian Province sediments.
Concentrations of total PCBs ranged from
13.8 ppb to 127.7 ppb (Fig. 2-58). Given
that the criterion for low-level ecological
effects is 400 ppb for total PCEJs and 25
ppb for individual congeners (Long and
Morgan 1990), no PCB concentrations
exceeded these criteria (Table 2-6).
2.2.8 SEDIMENT CONTAMINANTS
-BUTYLTINS
Tributyltin (TBT), a compound found in anti-
fouling paints until recently, was an
effective and widespread means of
protecting recreational and commercial
craft from fouling organisms. TBT is
considered highly toxic and is a serious
environmental concern (Kelly et al. 1990).
TBT has been shown to affect shell
generation in oysters (Weis and Perlmutter
1987, Weis 1988) and alter the
reproductive dynamics of whelks (Weis and
Perlmutter 1987). Although TBT is not
believed to be a persistent chemical,
having a half-life of 7-12 days, its continual
release through leaching remains a
continuing environmental problem.
Determinations of tetrabutyltin, tributyltin, 1
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 54
-------
TOTAL POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
Ul
o
-r
10
20
30 40 50
TOTAL PAHa (ppb x 100)
60
Figure 2-55. Cumulative distribution of the sum of 43 PAHs In estuarlne sediments in the Loulslanian Province In 1991 (•)
and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (-•-).
TOTAL POLYNUCLEAR
AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
4000-35000 PPB
3.1%
<4000 PPB
96.9%
Figure 2-56. Percent of area of the Loulslanian Province
sediment associated with the sum of 43 PAH
concentration categories In 1991.
TOTAL PAHS (PPB) > 4000
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
SO-
40-
3D
20'
ID
10.4
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-57. Percent of area having sediments with total
PAHs > 4000 ppb for large estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 55
-------
PAH
Aconaphthone
Aconaphthylene
Anthracene
Bonzo(a)anthraceno
Benzo{a)pyrena
Benzo{b)fluoranthene
Benzo(e)pyrene
Bonzofg.h.IJperylene
Bonzo{k)fluoranthene
Biphonyl
Chrysene
C1-ohrysene
C2-chrysene
C3-chrysene
C4-chrysens
Dibonzo(a,h)anthracene
Dibonzothlo
CKfibenzolhio
C2-dibenzothio
C3-dibonzothio
Fluoranthene
Cl-fluoranthpyrsne
Fluorene
C1-fluorene
C2-fluorono
C3-nuorene
Naphthalene
C1 -naphthalene
Ca-naphthalene
C3-naphtha!ono
C4 -naphthalene
Poryleno
Phenanthrene
C1-phenanlhrane
C2-phenanthrene
C3-phenanthrane
C4-phenanthrene
Pyrane
(i)1,2,3-c,d-pyrene
1 -methylnaphthalene
Range (ppb)
0- 11
0- 20
0- 28
0-155
0- 123
0-279
0 - 158
0- 60
0-122
0- 13
0-226
0-383
0-597
0-297
0-142
0- 40
0- 74
0-226
0-398
0-333
0 - 307
0 - 255
0- 34
0-203
0-529
0-548
0- 41
0- 52
0- 62
0-901
0 -1807
0-540
0-244
0-607
0-574
0-467
0-641
0-268
. 0-31
0- 23
Criteria
150/650
NA
85/960
230/1600
400/2500
NA
400/2500
NA
NA
NA
400/2800
400/2800
400/2800
400/2800
400/2800
60/260
NA
NA
NA
NA
600/3600
NA
35/640
35/640
35/640
35/640
340/2100
340/2100
340/2100
340/2100
340/2100
NA
225/1380
225/1380
225/1380
225/1380
225/1380
350/2200
NA
NA
Percent
(10%)
0%
u
0%
0%
0%
u
0%
u
u
u
0%
0%
0%
0% .
0%
0%
u
u
u
u
0%
u
0%
5%
7%
9%
0%
0%
0%
5%
5%
U
3%
5%
5%
3%
< 1%
0%
U
U
Exceeded
(50%)
0%
U
0%
0%
0%
u
0%
u
u
u
0%
0% •
• 0%
' 0%
0%
0%
u
u
u
u
0%
u
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u
u
Table 2.5 Ranges of PAH concentrations found In the 1991 Loulslanlan Province Demonstration, criteria used for comparison
from Long and Morgan (1990) [x/y where x=concentratlon where biological effects occurred 10% of the time and y=median
concentration for effects to occur], and the percent of sediments exceeding these criteria. (NA = None Available; U =
Unknown) •
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 56
-------
RGBs
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
o
UJ
EX.
20
T
40
60 80
TOTAL PCBs (ppb)
100
120
Figure 2-58. Cumulative distribution of total PCBs In estuarine sediments In the Loufsianlan Province In 1991.
dibutyltin, and monobutyltin were made for
all sediments collected in the 1991
Lquisianian Province Demonstration with
concentrations expressed as ng (sn)g dwt.
Over 86% of the sediments analyzed
showed no traces (< 1 ppb) of TBT but
1 3% of the sediments had concentrations
of TBT > 0, with 4% having concentrations
> 5 ppb (Fig. 2-59). According to Laughlin
and Linden (1984), long-term tests of
tributyltin compounds on fish and
invertebrates suggest that the maximum
acceptable concentration for TBT would be
< 1 ppb. Using 5 ppb as a clear indicator
of degraded conditions, most of the high-
TBT sediments are found in small estuaries
(9% of sediments) and to a lesser extent in
large estuarine sediments (2%) (Fig. 2-60).
Using 1 ppb TBT as an indicator of
potential ecological effects results in all
rr-, — TTTT — sampling classes being represented with
£±C ££ 55% of L sediments in large tidal rivers,
PCB # (Chlorinatlon)
8(CL2)
18(CL3)
28 (CL3)
44 (CL4)
52 (CL4)
66 (CL4)
101 (CL5)
105 (CL5)
110/77(CL5/4)
11 8/1 08/1 49 (CL 5/5/6)
126 (CL5)
128 (CL6)
138 (CL6)
153 (CL6)
170 (CL7)
180 (CL7)
187/1 82/1 59 (CL 7/7/6)
195 (CL8)
206 (CL9)
209 (CL10)
Range (ppb)
0- 0.7
0 - 0.3
0- 2.4
0- 0.6
0- 2.1
0- 0.9
0 - 4.0
0- 2.1
0- 5.9
0- 2.8
0- 0.4
0-2.1
0-11.4
0 - 12.5
0- 8.8
0 - 8.6
0 - 7.2
0- 1.0
0 - 3.1
0- 5.9
sediments.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 57
-------
SURFACE AREA 5
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
ui
O
Of
LARGE RIVER
CLASS
SMALL
Figure 2-60. Percent of area having sediments with
trlbutyltln > 5 ppb for largo estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and email estuaries.
TRIBUTYLTIN (PPEI) >
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-61. Percent of area having sediments with
trlbutyltln > 0 ppb for large estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and small estuaries.
16% of sediments in small estuaries, and
12% of sediments in large estuaries having
measurable TBT (Fig. 2-61).
2.2.9 SEDIMENT
CONTAMINANTS • PESTICIDES
Chlorinated herbicides and pesticides
constitute a major portion of nonpoint
source runoff from agricultural fields,
suburban lawns, and golf courses. Twenty-
four pesticides, including DDT and its
derivatives, were analyzed from
Louisianian Province sediments. No
pesticides have accepted sediment criteria;
therefore, we used the few criteria available
from Long and Morgan (1990) for DDT and
its derivatives, chlordane, endrin, and
dieldrin. The ranges of observed
concentrations of all pesticides examined
are shown in Table 2-7.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 58
-------
Pesticide
2,4'DDD
4,4'DDD
2,4'DDE
4,4'DDE
2,4'DDT
4,4'DDT
Aldrin
AIpha-BHC
beta-BHC
delta-BHC
alpha-Chlordane
gamma-Chlordane
Dietdrin
Endosulfan
Endrin
Hexaohlorobenzene
Heptachlor
Heptaohlor Epoxide
Mirex
cis-Nonachlor
trans-Nonachlor
Oxychlordane
Toxaphene
Range (ppb)
0 - 0.33
0-5.16
0-2.68 .
0 -5.10
0-0.14
0-1.31
0-0.12
0 - 0.41
0-0.22
0-0.10
0 - 0.72
0 - 1.72
0- 1.46
0- 0
0-0.11
0 - 20.1
0 - 0.03
0 - 3.38
0-0.11
0 - 0.35
0 - 0.58
0 - 0.03
0- 0
Criteria
Exceeded
2.0/20
2.0/20
2.0/15
2.0/15
1.0/7
1.0/7
NA
NA
NA
NA
.05/6
.05/6
.02/8
NA
.02/45
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Percent
(10%)
0%
<1%
1%
2%
0%
<1%
U
U
U
U
4%
8%
23%
0%
'1%
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
0%
(50%)
0% ,
0%
, 0%
0%
0%
0%
U
U
U
U
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
0%
Province Demonstration, criteria used for comparison from Long and
Morgan (1990) [x/y where x=concentration where biological effects occurred
10% of the time and y=medlan concentration for effects to occur], and the
percent of sediments exceeding these criteria. (NA = None Available; U =
Unknown)
TOTAL DDT
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
1-7 PPB
11.3*
> 1 PPB
87.7*
Total DDT concentrations
(2,4'DDT and 4,4'DDT)above
the criterion (7 ppb) were
found in < 1 % of the
sediments of the Louisianian
Province (Fig. 2-62). These
concentrations were found
primarily in the large tidal river
class (10%) and to a lesser
extent in small estuaries (<
1%) (Fig. 2-63).
Total chlordane
concentrations did not exceed
the criterion of 6 ppb in any
sediments in the Louisianian
Province but did exceed 0.05
ppb (10% effects criterion) in
8% of estuarine sediments.
Endrin concentration did not
exceed its median criterion
(45 ppb) in any of the
sediments examined from the
Louisianian Province;
however, 1% of sediment
contained endrin at > 0.02
ppb.
Dieldrin concentration did not
exceed its median criterion of
8 ppb in any sediments
collected from the Louisianian
Province: however, 23% of
sediments had dieldrin
concentrations > 0.02 ppb,
the 10% effects-level listed by
Long & Morgan (1990).
Figure 2-62. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province sediment associated with
total DDT concentration categories In 1991.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 59
-------
TOTAL
LOUISI
50
40
< 30-
ut
I20
10
0
. DDT (PPB) > 7
ANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
10.0
H 0.3
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-63. Percent of area having sediments with total
DDT > 7 ppb for large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and
small estuaries.
2.2.10 SEDIMENT
CONTAMINANTS - HEAVY
METALS
Fifteen heavy metals were analyzed for the
sediments collected in the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration. These
metals were examined from two
perspectives: (1) Criteria-based and (2)
Anthropogenic enrichment. Criteria-based
analyses were conducted similarly to those
for other contaminants where a criterion of
degradation was selected for each metal
and distributional analysis shovyed the
proportion of the sediments exceeding that
criterion value. Anthropogenic enrichment
was determined using a reduced data set
and regressing log-transformed metal
concentrations against log-transformed
aluminum concentrations. The data set
reduction required the removal of clearly
elevated concentrations (i.e., metal
concentrations > 10% Long and Morgan
Values). Once the regression is
completed, the complete data set is
compared to the upper 95% confidence
interval of the regression. All sites with
concentrations exceeding the upper 95%
confidence interval are anthropogenically
enriched with regard to metals. ,
2.2.10.1 CRITERIA COMPARISONS
Table 2-8 shows the ranges of heavy
metals concentrations found during the
1991 Louisianian Province Demonstration
and their criteria values for comparison.
Only chromium, mercury, nickel, zinc, and
to a lesser extent tin, lead, and antimony
exceed the selected criteria values (Fig. 2-
64). Using the lower criteria (i.e.,.
concentrations resulting in effects 10% of
the time), 31.7% of sediments in the
Louisianian Province have metal
concentrations in excess of these values
(Fig. 2-64) whereas only 2% of the
sediments exceed the higher criteria. Over
10% of the sediments have two or more
metals exceeding the lower criteria values.
These high metal concentrations are
primarily found in the large tidal river (80%,
Fig. 2-66) and large estuary classes (-40%,
Fig. 2-65). Only 9% of the sediments in
small estuaries (Fig. 2-67) showed metal
concentrations in excess of criteria levels.
2.2.10.2 ANTHROPOGENIC
ENRICHMENT
Aluminum concentrations vary over two
orders of magnitude (50 ppm-9000 ppm) in
the Louisianian Province (Fig. 2-68). As
aluminum content in sediments is primarily
derived from the natural crust of the earth,
this wide variation generally is
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province-1991
Page 60
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Metal
Aluminum
Antimony
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Mercury
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
Range (ppm)
800-96100
0- 2.1
1 - 18.5
0- 1.4
3-119.0
0 - 33.7
150-42600
1 - 59.8
3 - 2130
0- 2.2
0- 45.5
0 - 1.0
0- 0.7
0- 3.3
1 - 167
Criteria
(ppm)
NA
2/25
33/85
5/9
80/145
70/390
NA
35/110
NA
.15/1
30/50
' NA
1/2
NA
120/270
Percent Exceeded
(10%)
U
<1%
0%
0%
10%
0%
U
<1%
U
22%
16%
U
0%
U
6%
(50%) ,
U
0%
0% .
0%
0%
0%
U
0%
U
2%
0%
U
0%
U
0%
Table 2.8 Ranges of heavy metal concentrations found In the 1991
Loulslanlan Province Demonstration, criteria used for comparison from
Long and Morgan (1990) [x/y where x=concentration where biological
effects occurred 10% of the time and y=median concentration for
effects to occur], and the percent of sediments exceeding these
criteria. NA = None Available; U= Unknown)
accompanied by wide variations
in the portion of other metals
observed that is attributable to
the earth's crust. Therefore, the
observed metal concentrations
should be adjusted for a
reference metal (i.e., aluminum).'
This approach has been used
numerous times in estuarine
environments (Klinkhammer and
Bender 1981, Trefry et al. 1985,
Windom et al. 1989, Schropp et
al. 1990). Simple log-log
regressions were completed
using aluminum and each of the
other observed metals. All
regressions were significant (<
0.05); thus, aluminum was used
as the adjustment reference
metal.
Sampling sites that were within
the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration data set that were
determined to be representative
METALS > CRITERIA
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
A6 AS CD CR CU PB H© Nl SB SN ZN
=lgure 2-64. Percent of area of the Louisianian Province sediments exceeding criteria values for individual metals.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 61
-------
Number of Metals
Above Criteria Values
LARGE ESTUARIES
NUMBER
Figure 2-65. Percent of area having sediments exceeding
criteria for one or more metals In large estuaries.
Number of MetaJs
Above Criteria Values
SHALL ESTUARIES
Figure 2-67. Percent of area having sediments exceeding
criteria for one or more metals In large estuaries.
Number of Metals
Above Criteria Values
TIDAL RIVERS
Figure 2-66. Percent of area having sediments exceeding
criteria for one or more metals In large estuaries.
of natural, unenriched areas were selected
to develop the regressions. An example is
shown in Fig. 2-69 for mercury. The metal-
specific regression slope and its associated
95% confidence intervals were then
compared to the complete data set and all
locations falling above the 95% confidence
interval represent sites that are
anthropogenically enriched (Fig. 2-70).
The results of these regression analyses
for all metals revealed some enrichment of
all metals although the technique would be
expected to show 1 -2% enrichment as a
artifact of the technique. Even with this
slight bias, clear enrichment of Louisianian
Province sediments is evident for mercury
(23% of sediments) and to a lesser extent
for arsenic, chromium, and lead (Fig. 2-71).
By comparison, the two methods yielded
very similar results with 67% of the
sediments meeting the criteria levels and
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 62
-------
ALUMINUM
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LU
ae
o
at
ill
a.
T —T
5 6
ALUMINUM («)
10
11
=lgure 2-68. Cumulative distribution of aluminum In eatuarlne sediments In the Louislanlan Province In 1991 (-) and its
associated 95% confidence Interval (—).
-3.0 -2.5 -2.0 -1.5 -1.0
-0.5 0.0
ln( * Al )
horizontal line = criteria value (ln(0.15 ppm)}
dashed line = upper 95* limit
solid line = predicted value
Figure 2-69. Log-log regression of mercury and aluminum In Louislanlan Province sediments In 1991.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 63
-------
2.O
1.8
I-
^H^
g '
O.S
A . . . ••
*
•
•
•
• .
•
•
• • *" * , * • *
• • • « • f • • t __• ._..-.
Z^aSv^gJiferfc • ^ t'rfrijf**- -•-*•=» ~
6 i a 3 4. s 4 7 a 9 i"o i'i
Al (%)
horizontal line * crltcal value
dashed Ifne = upper 95% limit
solid Rne = predicted value
Rgure 2-70. Linear regression of sediment mercury and aluminum. Mercury values above 95% confidence Interval represent
enrichment ,
68% of the sediments being "unenriched".
The proportion of sediments enriched by a
single metal and exceeding the criterion for
only a single metal is also similar (21%
exceeding and 23% enriched). While the
overall picture is the same, inspection of
Figs. 2-64 and 2-71 show some marked ;
differences. While mercury levels are
exceeded by >20% of the sediments in
both cases, nickel exceeds critical values
in 16% of sediments while aluminum-
adjusted nickel concentrations show
relatively little enrichment (2.1%). Zinc
concentrations in excess of criterion values
also appear to be primarily natural in origin.
Conversely, arsenic never exceeds its
criterion but based on regressions with
aluminum is enriched in 6% of Louisianian
Province sediments. A similar relationship
is seen for lead.
Statistical Summary, EMAP--E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 64
-------
ENRICHED METALS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50-
0.3 0-8 0.4
A© AS CD CR CU PB HG Ml SB SN ZN
Figure 2-71. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province having enriched sediments for Individual metals based on aluminum
regressions. , ' • • ' '
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 65
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2.3 HABJTAT INDICATORS
Habitat indicators describe the natural
physical and chemical conditions of the
locations sampled in the 1991 Louisianian
Province Demonstration. These
parameters are discussed below.
2.3.1 WATER DEPTH
The Louisianian Province is comprised
primarily of large and small shallow
estuaries with water depths rarely
exceeding 3-4 m except in dredged
channels. The distribution of water depth
observed in the Louisianian Province in
1991 is shown in Fig. 2-72. The
proportions of the estuarine classes that
have water depths of less than two meters
are shown in Fig. 2-73 with large and small
estuaries showing significant expanses of
shallow water (26% of large estuaries and
52% of small estuaries). :
2.3.2 WATER TEMPERATURE
Water temperature remained relatively
constant, regardless of location, over the
six-week sampling period of the
Louisianian Province Demonstration. The
total range of bottom water temperature
observed in July and August spanned only
five degrees Celsius (Fig. 2-74) from 27°C
to 32°C. Figure 2-74 is comprised of only
daytime observations; however, continuous
recorders that collected temperature data
every 15 minutes for 24 hours showed only
a 4.8°C increase in the observed range
(Fig. 2-75). This increase reflects the
increased thermal variation depicted by
inclusion of night temperatures. Thus,
estuarine biota and habitats are exposed to
tu
C9
QZ
100
90
80
70
80
50
40
30
20-
10-
0-
BOTTOM DEPTH
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
8 12
BOTTOM DEPTH (m)
20
Figure 2-72. Cumulative distribution of water depth in the Louisianian Province in 1991 (•) and Its associated 95% confidence
Interval (—). ,
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 66
-------
DEPTH < 6 FEET
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-73. Percent of area having depth < 6 ft for
large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
water temperature above 20°C
continuously throughout the index sampling
period (July and August).
2.3.3 SALINITY
Salinity varied widely among sampling
locations. Popular opinion would suggest
that salinities in Gulf of Mexico estuaries in
late summer would be predominately
polyhaline (i.e., > 18 ppt). However, 1991
was a very wet year, particularly in late
spring and early summer. As a result, the
Louisianian Province was characterized by
a wide variety of salinity conditions.
Salinity ranged from 0.0 to 40 ppt
throughout the province (Fig. 2-76).
Continuous salinity measurements did not
increase the observed salinity range but
reduced the percentage of freshwater from
14% of the area of the province (based on
instantaneous measurements) to 6% of the
area of the province (Fig. 2-77).
Oligohaline waters (0-5 ppt) comprised
u
OS
UJ
100-
90-
80-
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
20
BOTTOM TEMPERATURE
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
-'J
22
24 26 28
TEMPERATURE (C)
30
32
34
Figure 2-74. Cumulative distribution of bottom water temperature based on Instantaneous data in the Louisianian Province
In 1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence interval (—).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 67
-------
CONTINUOUS TEMPERATURE
LOU I SI AN I AN PROVINCE - 1991
100
se
LU
O
ee
ui
o.
90-
80-
70-
60-
50-
40-
30-
20-
10-
0-
20
22
i i 1—
24 26 28
TEMPERATURE (C)
30
—i—
32
—r
34
Figure 2-75. Cumulative distribution of bottom water temperature based on 24 hours of continuous data In the Loulslanfan
Province In 1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (--).
BOTTOM SAUNfTY
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
90
80
•< 70
UI
2g 60
x 50
Ul
£ 40
UI
"• 30
20'
10-
0-
-i 1 1 r—
12 18 24 . 30
SAL I HI TV (ppt)
36
42
Rguro 2*76. Cumulative distribution of bottom salinity based on Instantaneous data In the Loulsianian Province In 1991 (-)
and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (•—).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 68
-------
100
90
80
70
60-
50-
40-
30-
20-
10-
CONTINUOUS SALINITY
LOUIS1ANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
12
—1 : 1—
18 24
SALINITY (ppt)
—i—
30
—r—
36
—T
42
Figure 2-77. Cumulative distribution of bottom salinity based on 24 hours of continuous data In the Loulslanlan Province In
1991 (-) and Its associated 95% confidence Interval (---).
Bottom Salinity
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
< 5
6- IB
> 18 (ppl)
53.1%
Figure 2-78. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province
associated with major salinity categories In 1991.
27% of the province estuarine waters,
mesohaline waters (5-18 ppt) contributed
20%, while polyhaline waters made up the
majority of the resource at 53% (Fig. 2-78).
Oligohaline waters comprised only 27% of
the province. As expected, the estuarine
waters were primarily polyhaline in 1991
(Fig. 2-78). Large tidal rivers are
predominantly (85%) oligohaline, while
large and small estuaries are about 29-
32% oligohaline (Fig. 2-79). Almost all of
the observations that comprise these
numbers come from locations within
Louisiana. The large tidal river class is
equivalent to the Mississippi River.
Vermilion and East Cote Blanche Bays
(large estuaries in Louisiana) were virtually
fresh during sampling due to increased
drainage through the Atchafalaya River
system, the old drainage for the Mississippi
River. The remainder of large estuarine
systems are largely polyhaline (Fig. 2-80)
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 69
-------
Tidal Resh and
OiigohaJine Waters
LOUISIAHIAN PROVINCE - 1991
UJ
CJ
LARGE
RIVER
CLASS
SMALL
Figure 2-79. Percent of area having salinities < 5 ppt for
largo estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
POLYHALiNE WATERS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
80
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-80. Percent area having salinities > 18 ppt for large
estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
while small estuarine systems are about
evenly split between mesohaline (41%) and
polyhaline (31%) salinities (Figs. 2-80, 2-
81).
2.3.4 pH
Estuaries are primarily neutral bodies of
water with changes in pH often quickly
modified by the ions associated with
salinity. However, as stated above, about
one-third of the estuarine waters of the
Louisianian Province were tidal fresh to
brackish in 1991. Bottom pHs ranged from
5.6 to 10.5 (Fig. 2-82) during the sampling
period in 1991 with most of the pH values
< 7 occurring in small estuaries (Fig. 2-83).
MESOHALINE WATERS
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
80
60
40
20-
40.7
10- - 15.0
ilJL
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-81. Percent of area having salinities of 5-18 ppt for
large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 70
-------
BOTTOM pH
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
UJ
O
too-
90-
80
70-
60-
50-
40-
30-
20-
10-
0-
8
pH
10
11
Figure 2-82. Cumulative distribution of bottom pH based on Instantaneous data In the Louisianian Province In 1991 (-) and its
associated 95% confidence Interval (---).
pH < 7.0
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
25
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-83. Percent of area having bottom pH < 7.0 for
large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
2.3.5 SECCHI DEPTH
Secchi depth is a simple measure of
instantaneous water clarity. While often
discarded as a useful measure by many
ecologists, it can produce useful
information if care is taken while deploying
the apparatus and a consistent observer is
used. In order to confirm the reliability of
Secchi measures; we concurrently took
PAR measures with a LICOR-1000. Secchi
depths ranged from 0.1 m to 4m in the
Louisianian Province in 1991 (Fig. 2-84).
The distribution of observed Secchi depths
showed that 24% of the province was
characterized by depths of < 0.5 m, 31 %
by depths of 0.5-1.0 m, and 45% of the
province had relatively clear water with
Secchi depths of > 1 m (Fig. 2-85). Waters
with poor light transmission, characterized
by Secchi depths of < 0.5 m, were primarily
found in the small estuary class (50%)
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 71
-------
although about 20% of large estuaries and
large tidal rivers also had poor clarity (Fig.
2-86).
TRANSMITTANCE
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
o
OS
100
90
BO
70
SO
50
40
30
20
10
2 3
SECCHI DEPTH (M)
Figure 2-84. Cumulative distribution of Secchl depth in the Loulslanlan Province In 1991 (-) and its associated 95% confidence
Interval (—).
SECCHI DEPTH
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
<0.5 M
23.6%
0.5 - 1.0 M
31.2%
> 1.0 M
45.0%
SECCHI DEPTH < 0.5 M
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
49.5
20.8
LARGE RM-1? SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-85. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province associated Figure 4-86. Percent of area having Sctcchi depth < 0.5 m
with Secchl depth categories In 1991. for large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 72
-------
2.3.6 STRATIFICATION
Previous studies have shown that the
probability of finding low dissolved oxygen
concentrations is greater in areas where
there is density stratification of the water
column. This occurs because stratification
reduces exchange between bottom and
oxygen-rich surface waters. Results from
the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration show that stratification
salinity differences range from -2 to 16 ppt
often over only 2-3 m of water column (Fig.
2-87). Normally, density stratification or
delta sigma-T is calculated using both
salinity and temperature differences.
However, because water temperature is
relatively constant from surface to bottom
throughout the province, stratification has
been approximated based solely on salinity
differences. Significant stratification (i.e.,
salinity differences of > 6 ppt) occurs in
about 15% of the estuarine waters in the
province (Fig. 2-87) and is primarily seen in
large estuaries and the lower portions of
large tidal rivers (Fig. 2-88).
2.3.7 PERCENT SILT-CLAY
CONTENT
The composition of bottom sediments in
terms of grain size or percentage of silts
and clays can be an important determinant
of the types of estuarine organisms utilizing
the bottom. The Louisianian Province is
comprised of 65% mud (> 80% silts and
clays), 31 % intermediate muddy-sand (20-
80% silts and clays), and 4% sand (< 20%
silts and clays) (Fig. 2-89). This
distribution also holds for the three
sampling classes with the exception of
large tidal rivers which have no sand and
80% mud (Figs. 2-90-92).
100
90-
80
70-I
60
50-
40-
30-
20-
10
-2
STRATIFICATION
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
4 6 8 10 12 14
SALINITY DIFFERENCE (Bottom - Surface)
16
18
20
Figure 2-87. Cumulative distribution of estuarine stratification based on the difference between bottom and surface salinity (-)
and its associated 95% confidence Interval (---).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 73
-------
STRATIFICATION > 6 PPT
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Rgure 2-88. Percent of area having stratification (bottom
Ballnlty-surfaco salinity) > 6 ppt for large estuaries, large
tidal rivers, and small estuaries.
PERCENT SILT-CLAY < 20%
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100-
80-
60-
i
S 40
20
4.3
3.2
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-90. Percent of area having sediments with
< 20% clay for large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small
estuaries.
PERCENT SILT - CLAY
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
<20%
3.9%
20-80%
30.6%
>80%
65.5%
Figure 2-89. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province
associated with major percent silt-day categories
(categories In % clay).
PERCENT SILT-CLAY 20-80%
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
so
60
£
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-91. Percent of area having sediments with 20-
80% clay for large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small
estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianlan Province -1991
Page 74
-------
PERCENT SILT-CLAY > 80%
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-92. Percent of area having sediments with >80%
clay for large estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small
estuaries. , ' , .'.... • •••-•
2.3.8 PERCENT TOTAL ORGANIC
CARBON
Another important physico-chemical
characteristic of estuarine sediments is the
of proportion of organic carbon in the
sediments., High levels (> 2%) of total
organic carbon (TOG) suggest possible
enrichment, whether naturally through
detrital accumulation or anthropogenically
through point source discharges. Based on
the results of the 1901 Louisianian
Province Demonstration, sediments in the
province range from nearly pure sand (no
organic carbon) to highly enriched
sediments approaching 13% TOG (Fig. 2-
93). Low to normal organic carbon content
(0-1 %) was found in 54% of province
sediments, 24% of the province was
slightly enriched, while 22% was enriched
o
os
UJ
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30-
20-
10-
0-
TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
6 8
TOC (s) ...
12
14
Figure 2-93. Cumulative distribution of estuarine sediment total organic content in the Louisianian Province in 1991 (-) and its
associated 95% confidence Interval (---).
Statistical Summary, EMAP^E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 75
-------
to the extent of producing a sediment that
was > 2% TOG (Fig. 2-94). No organically
enriched sediments were found in the large
tidal rivers of the province (Fig. 2-95)
providing evidence of the generally low
productivity and the extensive currents
within the river systems. About 21-26% of
the sediments from large and small
estuarine systems have organic carbon
content > 2%.
ORGANIC CARBON
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
0-1%
63.9%
1-2%
23.9%
SEDIMENT TOTAL
ORGANIC CARBON > 2%
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
60
40
26.4
1LJI
LARGE RIVIER SMAILL
CLASS
Figure 2-95. Percent of area having sediments with > 2%
total organic carbon for large estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and small estuaries.
Figure 2-94. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province
associated with major percent total organic carbon
categories In 1991.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 76
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2.3.9 ACID VOLATILE SULFIDES
Acid volatile sulfides (AVS) measure the
amorphous or moderately crystalline
monosulfides in sediments that are
important in controlling the bioavailability of
metals under anoxic conditions (DiToro et
al. 1991). AVS in the Louisianian Province
ranged from 0 to 20 micromoles AVS/ g
dwt sediment (Fig. 2-96). However,
numerous flaws in the collection technique
were discovered that permitted the partial
oxidation of the sample before analysis.
Clearly, most of the AVS were oxidized as
90% of the samples had < 5 mg/kg AVS.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to ascertain
the extent of oxidation and the assumption
that all samples oxidized equally seems
unreasonable. For these reasons, AVS
was not used further in 1991 analyses.
However, collection techniques problems
will be corrected in 1992.
2.3.10 REDOX POTENTIAL
DISCONTINUITY DEPTH
Redox potential discontinuity depth
represents a biogeochemical marker in the
estuarine sediments that demarks the
transition zone from aoxic to anoxic
cbnditions. The deeper this horizon, the
better the sediment is oxygenated and can
support deep burrowing benthos. Three
replicates (one from each benthic grab)
were taken at each sampling location and
resulted in RPD depths ranging from 0-110
mm (Fig. 2-97).
While no guidelines exist to develop a
criterion for RPD depth, a depth of < 10
mm was selected as representative of
relatively anaerobic benthic conditions. An
immediate level of 10-50 mm in depth was
used as descriptive of situations where the
potential for anaerobic conditions existed
and depths > 50 mm were categorized as
ACID VOLATILE SULFIDES
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
LU
O
O2
AVS
=lgure 2-96. Cumulative distribution of estuarine sediment add volatile suHlde content In the Louisianian Province In 1991
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991 Page 77
-------
REDOX POTENTIAL DISCONTINUITY
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100-1
90
80-
70-
60-
40-
30-
20-
10-
0-
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
RPD DEPTH {mm)
Figure 2-97. Cumulative distribution of estuarine sediment redox potential discontinuity layer depth In the Loulslanlan
Province In 1991.
aerobic. Nine percent of the Louisianian
Province was characterized by RPD depths
of < 10 mm (Fig. 2-98). These anaerobic
conditions occurred primarily in large and
small estuaries with 10% and 15% of these
classes being characterized by degraded
RPD depths (Fig. 2-99).
these calculations were described in
appendix A.- Table 2-9 provides these
intervals for the major indicators for the
proportion of the province and the three
estuarine classes.
2.4 CONFIDENCE INTERVALS
FOR PROVINCE AND CLASS-
LEVEL ESTIMATES
Ninety-five percent confidence intervals
(95% Cl) were calculated for all parameters
described in this section. The methods for
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 78
-------
MEAN RPD DEPTHS
LOU1SIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
0-10 mm
8.9%
10-50 mm
47.0%
>50 mm
44.1%
Figure 2-98. Percent of area of the Loulslanlan Province
associated with major redox potential discontinuity depth
categories In 1991.
RPD DEPTH < 10 MM
LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
50-
40-
30J
III
a.
10-
14.8
10.4
LARGE RIVER SMALL
CLASS
Figure 2-99. Percent of area having sediments with an
RPD depth < 10 mm for large estuaries, large tidal rivers,
and small estuaries.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Loulslanlan Province-1991
Page 79
-------
Parameter Province
N
Estuarine Condition
Esluarine Conditfon1
BIOTIC CONDITION
Bonlhoa Index
Abundance < 10
# Species < 2
# Species < 5
Fish
Abundance < 5
Abundance < 10
# Species £ 1
it Species £ Z
Fish Pathology2
Fish Contaminants1
Shrimp
All > FDA Limits
Croaker
All > FDA Limits
Marine Catfish
Hg > FDA Limits
Others > FDA Limits
Bottom DO3 < 2 ppm
Bottom DO < 5 ppm
Minimum DO < 2 ppm
Sediment Toxicity
101
52(9)
40(9)
31(9)
19(9)
4(4)
28(10)
17(8)
32(11)
15(4)
21(5)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
KD,
0(0)
6(5)
15(8)
12(1)
8(5)
1 Estuarine condition without turbidity as an
2 Percentage based on sample
Large
Estuary
48
38(11)
28(10)
27(10)
19(9)
0(0)
23(11)
17(10)
33(13)
17(3)
23(5)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
8(7)
15(8)
11(9)
6(5)
indicator
Large
Tidal
River
10
95(30)
95(30)
80(25)
50(31)
60(30)
80(25)
44(33)
67(31)
33(31)
33(31)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(16)
67(30)
Small
Estuary
43
55(20)
44(18)
41(20)
36(20)
12(15)
39(20)
16(13)
29(18)
11(10)
17(12)
<1(0)
0(0) ;
0(0)
1(2)
0(0) I
KD
17(17)
16(14)
14(10) ;
size rather than estuarine area
3 Instantaneous dissolved oxygen measurements
Tablo 2-9. 95% confidence Intervals associated with the proportion of the Loulslanlan Province and
estuarine classes experiencing the levels of the listed parameters.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 80
-------
Parameter
N
ABIOTIC CONDITION
Marine Debris
Water Clarity
PAR < 10%
PAR < 25%
Silt-Clay Content
< 20%
> 80%
Alkanes
Total > 7000 ppb
PAHs
Total > 1000 ppb
Total > 4000 ppb
PCBs
Total > 200 ppb
Pesticides
Chlordane > .5 ppb
Dieldrin > .2 ppb
Endrin > .02 ppb
DDT > 1 ppb
DDE > 2 ppb
DDD > 2 ppb
Metals
Ag > 1 ppm
As > 33 ppm
Cd > 5 ppm
Cr > 80 ppm
Cu > 70 ppm
Hg > .15 ppm
Ni > 30 ppm
Pb > 35 ppm
Sb > 2 ppm
Sn > 3 ppm
Zn > 120 ppm
Tributyllin
TBT > 1 ppb
TBT 75 ppb
Province
101
16(9)
25(10)
60(11)
4(4)
66(10)
11(7)
8(6)
3(4)
0(0)
2(2)
21(9)
KD
1(1)
2(3)
1(1)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(6)
0(0)
22(8)
16(7)
<1(0)
<1(0)
<1(0)
6(5)
13(6)
4(2)
Large
Estuary
48
13(9)
21(9)
50(14)
4(5)
64(13)
8(6)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(3)
23(12)
0(0)
0(0)
2(3)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
11(8)
0(0)
24(12)
15(10)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
6(6)
12(7)
2(1)
Large
Tidal
River
10
30(18)
0(0)'
60(28)
0(0)
80(25)
0(0)
30(28)
0(0)
0(0)
50(31)
80(35),
0(0)
20(25)
10(18)
20(25)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(16)
0(0)
60(29)
30(28)
10(16)
10(16)
0(0)
10(16)
55(29)
0(0)
Small
Estuary
43
28(13)
41(16)
68(17)
3(4)
64(17)
12(15)
24(20)
10(15)
0(0)
2(2)
13(9)
4(5)
0(0)
1(1)
0(0)
-
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
2(1)
0(0)
1(1)
4(4)
KD
0(0)
<1(0)
4(4)
16(12)
9(7)
Table 2-9cont. 95% confidence intervals associated with the proportion of the Louisianian Province and
experiencing the levels of the listed parameters.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 81
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SECTION 3
QUALITY ASSURANCE
The Louisianian Province Demonstration
was implemented using a quality
assurance program (Heitmuller and
Valente, 1991) to ensure that the data
collected in* the various biogeographical
provinces (e.g., Virginian and Louisianian)
would be comparable (i.e., collected on the
same spatial and temporal scales using the
same methods) and of known and
acceptable quality. Monitoring problems
encountered through the use of multiple
field crews and laboratories often produce
data that cannot be compared because of
methodological or analytical differences. As
a result, we implemented multiple quality
assurance/ quality/control measures in
training, field collection, laboratory
certification, and laboratory analysis
phases of the demonstration to assure the
comparability of the information generated.
The following section describes the results
of the quality assurance measures
implemented in the program and, when
appropriate, evaluates the quality of the
data in terms of accuracy, precision, and
completeness.
3.1 CREW TRAINING AND
SAMPLE COLLECTION
The need for thoroughly trained field
personnel was recognized early in the
planning of a quality assurance program for
the Louisianian Province. Field crews were
comprised of staff members and students
from Texas A & M University, Gulf Coast
Research Laboratory, and Technical
Resources, Inc. Field crew training was
held at the Gulf Breeze Research
Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, FL. from May 20
to June 19, 1991. The training was
segmented into three sessions - Crew
Chief Training (two weeks), Crew Training
(two weeks), and Field Certification (two
days). Crew Chief training covered all
aspects of the field sampling protocols but
also concentrated on in-field decision
making and vessel operation. During crew
training, the crews joined the Crew Chiefs
with their designated crews (boat and land
support) for an additional two-week period
that was split intp approximately 50% of
classroom lecture and demonstration and
50% field exercises; many activities
completed during crew training were similar
to those in Crew Chief training but focused
on the development of a functional
sampling team.
Corroboration of the crews' understanding
of field protocols was determined by the
use of field certification exercises. These
exercises consisted of a "typical EMAP" 2-
day scenario of sampling, sample
processing and shipping, and data entry
and transfer. The crews were required to
conduct all components of the sampling
activities at each station and were scored
by senior EMAP-E personnel on their
abilities to perform over 100 field and
laboratory functions. Teams were scored
on each activity on a 0-3 basis where a 0
was completely unacceptable; 1, suggested
a major change from the accepted EMAP
protocol; 2, suggested a minor change from
the protocol; and 3, no change. The scores
were normalized to percentage and a team
score of >90% was required for
certification. Field certification scores of
the six crews ranged from 91-99.2% with
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
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an average score of 94.8%.
Field training was judged to be
very successful.
The crews were evaluated on
two other occasions during the
course of the 1991 field
monitoring. Members of the
Province management team
accompanied and observed
each crew for a full day during
their initial week of sampling;
the purpose was to ensure that
each field team "got off on the
right foot." Another visit
(unannounced) was made by
Province inspectors for the
purpose of conducting a
performance audit. The crews
were evaluated and graded in a
similar manner as for
certification; audit scores were
somewhat higher ranging from
94.3-99.5% with an average
score of 96.7%.
In addition to field auditing, 4
sites were revisited (by a
different crew) to ascertain
separate crews' ability to locate
the same station and the
stability of the ecological
indicators used. The 4 sites
consisted of base stations in
large estuaries (Mississippi
Sound [2], Lake Pontchartrain
[1]) and small estuarine (Lake
St. Catherine, LA [1]). Table 3-
1 compares the results of these
two visits with regard to water
quality, fish, and bivalve
parameters.
Station
Mississippi
Sound
(LA91LR14)
Mississippi
Sound
(LA91LR15)
Lake St.
Catherine
(LA91SR11)
Value
Parameter Datel1 Date21
Water Depth (ft) 17.2
Temperature (C) 29.0
Salinity (ppt) 27.7
DO (Instantaneous) 5.4
DO (Mean) 3.5
DO (Minimum) 3.1
DO (% Time < 2ppm) 0
pH 7.9
Fish Abundance 209
Pathologies 2
Bivalve Abundance 0
Number of Fish Species 2
Water Depth (ft) 12.5
Temperature (C) .29.0
Salinity (ppt) 24.4
DO (Instantaneous) 6.0
DO (Mean) 6.6
DO (Minimum) 6.1
DO (% Time < 2 ppm) 0
pH 8.0
Fish Abundance 16
Pathologies 0
Bivalve Abundance 0
Number of Fish Species 6
Water Depth (ft) 4.5
Temperature (C) 29.8
Salinity (ppt) 2.0
DO (Instantaneous) ,7.5
DO (Mean) 7.9
DO (Minimum) 7.2
DO (% Time < 2 ppm) 0
pH 7.5
Fish Abundance 23
Pathologies 0
Bivalve Abundance 4
Number of Fish Species 6
17.2
29.2
30.8
3.3
3.8
2.8
0
7.8
58
0
0
8
12.0
29.9
28.2
3.7
6.1
4.5
0
7.9
16
0
0
7
4.7
30.9
3.8
6.8
7.0
5.5
0
7.5
17
0
7
7
Delta
0.0
-0.2
-3.1
2.1
-0.3
0.3
0.0
0.1
151.02
2.03
0.0
-6.0
0.5
-0.9
-3.8
2.3
0.5
1.6
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
-1.0
.0.2
-1.1
-1.8
0.7
0.9
1.7
0.0
0.0
6.0
0.0
-3.0
-1.0
1 (Dates 1 and 2 are within 10 days of each other).
2 Difference in fish
schooling fish (208
abundance due to large catch of Atlantic
fish)
3 Difference in gross pathologies due to parasitism of 2
bumper, a
harvestfish
Table 3-1. Comparison of four stations sampled on two separate dates by
separate crews.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
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Station
Lake
Pontchartrain
(LA91LR32)
Value
Parameter Date"!1 Date21
Water Depth (ft)
Temperature (C)
Salinity (ppt)
DO (Instantaneous)
DO (Mean)
DO (Minimum)
DO (% Time < 2 ppm)
PH
Fish Abundance
Pathologies
Bivalve Abundance
Number of Fish Species
4 Sampling site located on edge of near-shore
< 10 ft while depth
14.9
28.9
1.2
8.2
8.4
8.1
0
7.3
22
0
0
3
shelf.
8.4
31.1
2.6
7.4
7.3
6.5
0
7.1
33
0
7
5
Depth on
Delta
6.54
-2.2
-1.4
0.8
1.1
1.6
0.0
0.2
-1 1,0
0.0
-7.0
2.0
shelf was
adjacent to shelf was 13-16 ft.
Table 3-1 continued. Comparison of four stations sampled on two separate
dates by separate crews.
Most of these parameters (i.e., those
expected to be the most variable in the
program) show remarkable stability. Even
continuous dissolved oxygen measures
when categorized to represent acceptable
on degraded conditions displayed good
correspondence between the multiple visits
to these sites.
In summary, crew training proved to be a
highly effective quality assurance element.
The time and resources invested in training
paid off as evidenced by a 100%
completion rate for field sampling (183
stations).
3.2 WATER QUALITY
MEASUREMENTS - FIELD
QUALITY CONTROL CHECKS
Water quality parameters (e.g., dissolved
oxygen [DO], salinity, temperature, pH, and
depth) can be key indicators when used in
the environmental assessment of estuarine
areas. In the Louisianian Province, those
parameters were measured at
each sampling station, both as an
instantaneous profile of the water
column (taken at 1 m intervals)
and as a continuous, overnight
(>12 hours) measure at 0.5 m off
bottom. Two models of
dataloggers manufactured by the
Hydrolab® Corporation were
utilized in the monitoring, the
Surveyor II for instantaneous
measurements and the
deployable DataSonde 3 for
continuous measurements. QC
procedures require that all
datalogging units be calibrated
with documentation within the 24
hour period preceding their
scheduled use. In most cases,
the initial calibration was
maintained within the defined QC
guidelines for the duration of the logging
event. However, some degree of drift was
expected and did occur. In order to
determine if the drift exceeded the QC
limits, additional checks were performed in
the field immediately prior to the
deployment and following the retrieval of
the DataSonde 3 unit.
The QC check consisted of taking "side-by-
side11 measurements with the DataSonde
and a recently calibrated Surveyor in a
bucket of seawater taken at the sampling
site; the Surveyor was considered the
standard. These values were recorded on
a field data sheet. At deployment, if there
was not agreement, the DataSonde would
be recalibrated prior to initiation of the
logging run; upon retrieval, if there was
significant disparity, an additional logging
run could be scheduled.
After the completion of the summer field
monitoring, the QC data from the field
checks were compiled and evaluated
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 85
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statistically to determine frequency of
acceptable and unacceptable adherence to
the QA guidelines. The QA acceptance
criteria based on the field QC checks with
the DataSonde 3 units were: (1)
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) ± 1 ppm
agreement to Surveyor II; (2) Salinity: ± 2
ppt agreement to Surveyor II; (3) pH ±
0.2 agreement to Surveyor II;
Temperature: ± 1°C agreement to
Surveyor II.
For DO, 139 out of 158 units (88%) were
acceptable at the pre-deployment QC
check and 19 (12%) were not acceptable.
Of those 19, 17 were recalibrated to an
acceptable mode but 2 were not
recalibrated due to instrument failure or
adverse weather conditions. At retrieval,
148 units (94%) were acceptable and 10
(6%) were outside of the QA guidelines.
For salinity, 130 (83%) of the units were
acceptable at the pre-deployment QC
check and 26 (17%) were outside of the
guidelines. Of those, 13 were recalibrated.
At retrieval, 120 (77%) were acceptable
and 36 (23%) were outside of the
guidelines.
For pH, 124 (81%) of the units were
acceptable at the pre-deployment QC
check and 30 (19%) were outside of the
guidelines. Of those, 17 were recalibrated.
At retrieval 111 (72%) were acceptable and
44 (28%) were outside the guidelines.
Temperature was acceptable in 158 (99%)
of the pre-deployment QC checks. The
temperature function cannot be calibrated
In DataSondes, therefore, no adjustment
was made. At retrieval, 158 units (99%)
were acceptable.
Overall, the QC data related to the
DataSondes were encouraging. The QA
guidelines will be reviewed and possibly
broadened, particularly in respect to the
pH; ±0.5 units, instead of 0.2, would be
reasonable for field purposes.
3.3 LABORATORY
CERTIFICATION AND
CHEMICAL ANALYSES
EMAP-E requires that all analytical
chemistry laboratories must "pass" a
certification prior to analyzing any samples.
This certification, is in addition to any
normal quality control measures that would
be used during analysis to ensure quality
data (e.g., blanks, spikes, controls,
duplicates). Standard reference materials
(SRMs) with certified values for metals and
organics were used by both of the
Louisianian Province laboratories to
confirm the accuracy and precision of their
analyses. The results of these
certifications for the laboratory conducting
sediment contaminant analyses for the
program, Texas A&M's Geochemical and
Environmental Group, areishown in Tables
3-2 and 3-3. This laboratory was certified
and analyzed 183 sediment samples
collected in 1991. The results of the
certifications for the laboratory conducting
tissue analyses, University of Mississippi's
Research Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, are shown in Tables 3-4 and 3-5.
They, likewise, were certified.
EMAP-E chemistry samples are typically
analyzed in batches or runs of ten
unknowns (field samples). As mentioned
previously, included with each batch are
numerous specified QA/QC samples that
when properly utilized help maintain control
of the run and are indicative of the overall
data quality for that run. SRMs are one of
the most useful QC samples for assessing
the accuracy of a given analysis. They are
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 86
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Certified
Analyte Concentration
Al 6.26% as Al
As
Cd
Cu
Cr
Fe
Pb
Hg
Mn
Ni
Se
Sn
Zn
11.1
0.25
18.5
123.0
3.3% as Fe
22.7
0,129
229.0
55.3
0.43
1.85
119.0
Reported
Concentration
6.64% as Al
10.9
0.29
19.7
125.0
3.54% as Fe
24.9
0.134
238.0
56.2
0.42
2.13
118.0
Percent
Recovery
106%
98%
1 15%
106%
102%
107%
110%
104%
104%
102%
98%
115%
99%
Table 3-2. Certification analysis completed for sediment
analysis of metals In Loulsianlan Province (concentrations In
ppm unless otherwise noted).
Analyte
PAHs
Acenaphthylene
Acenaphthlene
Anthracene
Benz(a)anthraoene
Benzo(b)fluoranthene
Benzo(k)fluoranthene
Benzo(a)pyrene
Benzo(e)pyrene
Benzo(g,h,i)perylene .
Biphenyl
din/sane
2,6 dimethylnapthalene
Fluoranthene
Fluorene
1 -methylnaphthalene
2-methylnaphthalene
1 -methylphenanthrene
Naphthalene
Perylene
Phenanthrene
Pyrene
1 ,2,3,-c,d pyrene
Butyltins
TBT
DBT
MBT
Certified
Concentration
115
52
223
599
854
456
672
754
566
115
702
198
1401
104
229
406
109
1322
437
609
1238
559
1.27
1.16
0.28
Reported
Concentration
108
43
239
606
970
528
727
756
567
95
792
152
1392
83
184
" 312
86
985
398
575
1230
557
1.08
0.83
0.38
Percent
Recovery
94%
84%
105%
101%
112%
116%
108%
100%
100%
83%
113%
82%
99%
80%
80%
78%
79%
75%
91%
94%
99%
100%
85%
71%
135%
Table 3-3. Certification analysis completed for sediment analysis of organic
contaminants In Loulsianlan Provlnce.(NIST SRM1941; concentrations In ng/g unless
otherwise noted).
naturally occurring materials (e.g., marine
sediments or oyster tissue) and have
certified concentrations for various analytes
of interest at levels that are
environmentally realistic. EMAP-E
recommended control limits for SRM
analysis are 70-130% agreement to the
certified value for organic analytes and 85-
115% agreement for inorganics (metals). It
is not expected that every laboratory will be
within the recommended control limits for
every analyte during every run, but rather,
for most analytes, most of the time. The
two laboratories that participated in the
analyses of the 1991 samples appear to
have succeeded in that respect.
From the SRM data
submitted with the
sediment analyses, 34
organic analytes were
selected representing
PAHs (22), pesticides (7),
and PCBs (5). Statistical
analysis of the results for
all the selected analytes
from 19 batches indicated
that the SRM results were
within the recommended
control limits 79.6 (±0.4)%
of the time. However, the
same analysis by analyte-
type, shows PAH results
within limits 99.2 (±0.1)%
of the time; pesticides,
only 32.3 (±0.5)% of the
time; and PCBs, 58.9
(±0.5)% of the time. This
is not surprising because
the SRM (SRM #1941) is
intended primarily for use
in PAH validation. The
pesticide and PCS
analytes are secondary
inclusions with reported
concentrations that were
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 87
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Analyte
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Solonium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
Certified
Concentration
202.5
14.0
4.15
1.43
66.3
539.0
0.371
0.0642
2.25
2.21
1.68
3.0
830.0
Reported
Concentration
212.0
13.5
4.39
1.64
67.5
545.0
0.392
0.0633
2.54
2.36
1.69
2.6
786.0
Percent
Recovery
105%
96%
106%
115%
102%
101%
106%
99%
113%
107%
101%
87%
95%
Table 3-4. Certification analysis completed for tissue analysis of metals In
Loulslanian Province. (MIST SRM 1566A; concentrations In ug/g unless
otherwise noted)
Certified
Analyte Concentration
Alpha Chlordane
Trans Nonachlor
Dioldrin
2,4'-DDE
4.4'-DDE
2,4'-DDD
4,4'-DDD
2,4'-DDT
4,4'-DDT
PCB18
PCB28
PCS 44
PCS 52
PCB66
PCB 101
PCS 105
PCB 118
PCB 128
PCB 138
PCB 153
PCB 180
PCB 187
3.2
2.6
1.0
. 0.72
5.9
2.5
8.4
0.4
0.3
3.0
7.6
8.0
12.0
13.6
13.0
5.6
13.6
1.9
14.0
18.0
1.7
3.7
Reported
Concentration
3.1
3.0
1.3
1.08
6.4
3.1
6.9
0.3
0.4
3.0
7.4
6.0
10.0
13.1
12.0
6.3
16.1
2.4
13.0
21.0
1.9
3.7
Percent
Recovery
97%
115%
130%
150%
109%
124%
82%
75%
133%
100%
97%
75%
83%
96%
92%
113%
118%
126%
93%
112%
1 12%
100%
Table 3-5. Certification analysis completed for tissue analysis of organlcs In
Loulslanlan Province. (NIST SRM 1974; concentrations In ng/g unless
otherwise noted)
not certified; several occur near
or below practical quantification
levels. Percent recovery of
laboratory spiked samples for the
same pesticides and RGBs was
typically >90%. Statistical
analysis of the SRM results for
metals in sediments was similar.
For the 14 metal analytes, the
SRM results were within
recommended limits (85-115%
agreement to certified value)
76.7% of the time. Taken as
individual analytes the
agreements ranged from 100% of
the time for Al, Fe, and Mn to
50%forSn.
The QA guidelines recommended
by EMAP-E for ensuring the data
quality of chemical analyses are
regarded as strenuous. The
analytical laboratories that
participated in the 1991
Demonstration met those
demands and the data that they
generated were of a high quality.
3.4 LABORATORY
TESTING AND
ANALYSES
Protocols and standard operating
procedures for the laboratory
assays of EMAP-E samples (i.e.,
sediment toxicity tests, benthic
community assessment, fish
pathology/histopathology,
sediment characterization, and
bioindicators) are detailed in the
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 88
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Laboratory Methods Manual Estuaries
(USEPA 1991). The quality of data
generated by these laboratories is
governed by the adherence to protocols
combined with the use of appropriate
quality control elements (Heitmuller and
Valente, 1991). Such elements include
scheduled recounts and resorts for benthic
assessments; the use of experimental
controls for sediment toxicity testing;
scheduled replication for sediment
characterizations; and the use of blanks,
spikes, and standards for chemical
assessments. EMAP-E personnel visited
each of the laboratories, at least once,
while EMAP-E analyses were ongoing.
The staffs were competent and
professional; they appeared to realize the
need for the quality assurance measures
that EMAP-E requires. During the course
of the onsite visits, it was ascertained from
observations, laboratory documentation,
and interviews with technical personnel that
the participating laboratories strived to
adhere to the protocols and QA/QC
elements.
Considerable technical skills are required
to effectively conduct any of the previously
mentioned laboratory activities. However,
certain of these (e.g., benthic community
assessment, sediment toxicity test, or fish
histopathology) because of their scope and
complexity, demand higher levels of
expertise gained only through advanced
training and experience. Laboratories that
express interest in conducting these type
assays must be certified prior to analyzing
EMAP-E samples.
Benthic community assessments for 1991
EMAP-E were conducted jointly between
two affiliates, Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory, Ocean Springs, MS and the
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS.
EMAP-E chose not to require any pre-
analysis certification of the two laboratories
based on their highly regarded senior
taxonomists and the labs' established
reputation for excellence.
Technical Resources, Inc. - Toxicity
Testing Section at ERL/GB was certified
after successfully completing a
performance evaluation in which they
demonstrated proficiency in conducting
reference toxicity tests with the mysid,
Mysidopsis bahia, and the marine
amphipod, Ampelisca abdita.
Other analyses (e.g. sediment
characterization) were standardized to the
point, that no certification was warranted
prior to initiating analyses with EMAP-E
samples.
Once the analyses were underway at the
various laboratories, the quality control
measures for the respective analyses
proved to be effective in maintaining the
performance of the analyses within EMAP-
E recommended guidelines.
An exception to the above occurred during
the initial phase of sediment toxicity testing
with amphipods. QA guidelines state that
an amphipod toxicity test is unacceptable if
mortality exceeds 15% in the experimental
control. In the first sets of tests with
Ampelisca, control mortality was > 25%;
this condition persisted for several series of
tests, then, testing was stopped to allow for
the determination of the cause. After two
weeks, it was determined that the problem
was related to holding the amphipods for a
10-day period before testing. The holding
period was decreased to 1 -2 days and
testing was resumed with no further
problems.
That resolved, and repeat tests conducted
to replace the initial aborted exposures, the
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 89
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remaining tests with mysids and
amphipods proceeded very smoothly; all
totaled, over 400 sediment exposures were
successfully completed.
Benthic community assessments with
triplicate samples collected from 183
sampling stations progressed smoothly.
Scheduled QC resorts and recounts were
performed in compliance with QA
requirements (i.e., 10% of each
technician's work) as were identity checks.
Of 558 samples sorted at Gulf Coast
Research Laboratory, 64 were randomly
pulled for QC resorting by a senior
taxonomist; out of the 64 resorts, 7 were
determined as having > 10% error. For
each of those 7 samples, the responsible
technician was required to resort the 9
samples immediately preceding. Checks
on the resorted samples showed all
samples had 10% error. Of 83 samples
pulled for QC re-identification, only 3 were
found to have > 10% error. These QC
actions are reported only for GCRL
However, the benthic laboratory at the
University of Mississippi implemented the
same regime of QC checks and their
documentation of those checks will be
verified at a later date. The benthic
evaluations were conducted in full
compliance with EMAP QC requirements
and the resultant data are of excellent
quality.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Loulslanlan Province -1991
Rape 90
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SECTION 4
SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS
The Demonstration Project in the
Louisianian Province in 1991 produced
thousands of pieces of information about
the estuarine resources of the Gulf of
Mexico and their present condition. The
following summarizes key information
concerning the conduct of the
demonstration and highlights the findings.
4.1 OVERVIEW OF PROVINCE
CHARACTERISTICS
• The Louisianian Province is comprised
of 25,725 km2 of estuarine resources
spanning from Anclote Anchorage, FL to
the Rio Grande, TX.
• Estuarine resources are defined as
those water bodies located between
. sources of freshwater and the Gulf of
Mexico bounded on the seaward region
by barrier islands and on the landward
side by head of tide. For example, this
would include as estuarine resources
the lower Mississippi River from the
delta to roughly New Orleans, LA and
Apalachee Bay, FL which is bordered on
the seaward margin by submerged
barrier islands.
• All estuarine resources in the
Louisianian province were divided
among three estuarine classes: large
estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small
estuaries/tidal rivers. Their delineation
was based primarily on size.
• Large estuaries include Laguna Madre,
Baffin Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, San
Antonio Bay, Matagorda Bay, Galveston
Bay, Calcasieu Lake, Vermilion Bay,
Cote Blanche Bays, Atchafalaya Bay, ,
Terrebone/Timbalier Bays, Caillou Bay,
Barataria Bay, Chandeleur Sound,
Breton Sound, Lake Borgne, Lake
Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, Lake
Salvador, Mississippi Sound, Mobile
Bay, Bon Secour Bay,,Pensacola Bay,
Choctawhatchee Bay, St. Andrews Bay,
St. George Sound and Apalachee Bay.
• Large tidal river class is comprised
solely of the Mississippi River.
• Small estuary/tidal river class
incorporates 165 estuarine systems
between 2-260 km2 of which 47 were
selected for sampling in 1991.
• The total area of estuarine resources in
. the Louisianian Province can be
subdivided among these three estuarine
classes: large estuaries comprise km2
(72%), large tidal rivers constitute 138
km2 (<1%), and small estuaries make
up km2 (28%). Thus, province-wide
conclusions, based on areal weighting,
will be dominated by information from
the large estuaries.
• 202 stations were selected for sampling
using multiple indicators of estuarine
condition (e.g., benthic abundance, fish
community composition, sediment
chemistry, sediment toxicity).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 91
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19 selected sites could not be sampled
due to Insufficient depth (< 1 m). In
terms of areal extent, these sites
represent 7% of the estuarine resources
in the province. The majority of these
unsampleable sites occurred in Laguna
Madre, TX.
4.2 CONCLUSIONS OF THE 1991
SAMPLING
• Nearly 42% ±9% of the Louisianian
Province estuarine resources were
determined to be degraded in terms of
biotic integrity or human use indicators.
Eleven percent of the province
experienced only low levels of biotic
integrity, 12% ±9% experienced either
marine debris or poor water clarity, and
19% ±9% experienced both forms of
degradation.
• In terms of proportion of total area in the
class, the large tidal river (Mississippi
River) experienced the highest level of
biotic degradation (80% ±25%) with 41%
±20% of small estuaries and 27% ±10%
of large estuaries having degraded
estuarine biotic integrity.
• About 16% ±9% of the bottom
sediments in Louisianian Province
estuaries were littered with marine
debris.
• 27% ±10% of the estuarine waters in the
province had poor water clarity with 99%
of these areas occurring west of the
Mississippi River Delta.
• Estuarine sediments in the Louisianian
Province generally contained
concentrations of organic contaminants
that were below criteria values expected
to result in significant ecological effects.
Some contaminants were above these
criteria for > 3-9% of the sediments.
• Louisianian Province sediments were
shown to be enriched with several heavy
metals. 32% ±9% of Louisianian
Province sediments were enriched with
at least one metal. 22% ±8% of
sediments were enriched with mercury,
while about 5% ±4% of sediments were
enriched with chromium, arsenic, and
lead.
• Metal enrichment was primarily
observed in large estuaries and the
Mississippi River.
• Approximately 8% ±5% of the sediments
in the Louisianian Province (2050 km2)
proved to be toxic to tested estuarine
organisms. Nearly 70% (±30%) of the
Mississippi River sediments were toxic
while 14% ±10% of small estuarine
sediments and 6% ±5% of large estuary
sediments were toxic.
• Tributyltin was measurable in 13% ±6%
of Louisianian Province sediments.
• The edible portions of shrimp, Atlantic
croaker, and catfish contained
contaminant concentrations below FDA
limits for PCBs and pesticides. One
percent of marine catfish examined
exceeded FDA action limits for mercury
(i.e., > 1 ppm). Shrimp, croakers and
catfish contained levels of arsenic,
chromium, and zinc in their edible
tissues that was higher than
international standards. Four to eight
percent of shrimp, marine catfish, and
croaker contained total arsenic at levels
exceeding 2 ppm. Four percent of
shrimp contained chromium levels above
1 ppm and 2% of marine catfish
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 92
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contained zinc concentrations above 60
ppm.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page 93
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SECTIONS
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APPENDIX A
SAMPLING DESIGN, ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS,
AND METHODS
This section provides the details for the
sampling design used in the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration.
Consistent with the overall objective of
EMAP, EMAP-E seeks to make statistically
unbiased estimates of ecological condition
with known confidence. Therefore,
sampling sites were not selected
subjectively. Rather, sampling sites were
selected by a statistical process that
ensures a probabilistic sampling network.
As a result, the sampling points represent a
statistically valid probability sample; thus,
the data collected in the monitoring survey
can be expanded, with quantifiable
confidence, to yield estimates for the entire
Louisianian Province (i.e., the estuarine
waters from the Rio Grande, TX through
Anclote Anchorage, FL). In addition, these
estimates can be combined with other
regions collected using consistent
procedures to yield national estimates of
estuarine condition. Details of the
sampling design for the 1991
Demonstration in the Louisianian Province
are provided in Summers et al. (1991). A
summary of the design is provided here to
permit the reader an understanding of the
sampling design.
A.1 REGION AND ESTUARINE
CLASSIFICATION
EMAP-E monitoring is designed to be
conducted at regional and national scales.
Standardized methods are employed, and
the entire Louisianian Province is sampled
simultaneously within a defined time period
(July 1 - September 15) to ensure
comparability of data within and among
sampling years. EMAP-E identified
boundaries for 12 estuarine regions
(Holland 1990) based on biogeographic
provinces defined previously by NOAA and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Terrell
1979) using major climatic zones and
prevailing major ocean currents (Fig. A-1).
The 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration included the estuarine
resources located along the irregular
coastline of the Gulf of Mexico, between
and including, the Rio Grande, TX and
Anclote Anchorage, FL.
A review of the literature identified potential
classification variables that reduced within-
class variability. These variables included
physical attributes, salinity, sediment type,
depth, and extent of pollutant loadings.
The use of salinity, sediment type, and
pollutant loadings as classification variables
(i.e., a priori strata) would result in the
definition of classes for which areal extents
could vary dramatically from year-to-year or
even over the index sampling period of
EMAP-E. This stratification process
requires establishment of a sampling frame
prior to sampling; thus misclassification of
sample sites within a class should be
minimal. Stratification by substrate, depth,
or salinity was considered to be difficult
because detailed maps of sediment and
water column characteristics were not
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.1
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Great Lakes
Columbian
Acadian
Ccriifomian
Aleutian
-it:-.
Alaskan
Figure A-1. EMAP Near Coastal Blogeographical Provinces.
available or often unreliable for much of the
Louisianian Province. As a result, a simple
classification scheme based on the
physical dimensions of an estuary was
used to develop three classes - large
estuaries, large tidal rivers, and small
estuaries/small tidal rivers. Large estuaries
in the Louisianian Province were defined as
estuaries greater than 250 km2 in surface
area and with aspect ratios (i.e..
length/average width) of less than 20.
Large tidal rivers were defined as that
portion of the river that is tidally influenced
(i.e., detectable tide > 2.5 cm), greater than
250 km2, and with an aspect of greater
than 20. Small estuaries and small tidal
rivers (hereafter referred to as small
estuaries) were designated as those
systems whose surface areas fell between
2.5 km2 and 250 km2. These designations
excluded estuarine water bodies less than
2.5 km2 in surface area. These resources
were included in the sampling frame by
making them a part of the class occupied
by their adjacent water body. For example,
the myriad of small semi-continuous water
bodies adjacent to Chandeleur Sound in
Louisiana were included in the surface area
of Chandeleur Sound for design and
analysis purposes.
Application of the classification scheme to
the Louisianian Province estuarine
resources resulted in the identification of
28 large estuaries with a total surface area
of 18,475 km2; 1 large tidal river (i.e.,
Mississippi River) with 138 km2; and, 156
small estuaries/small tidal rivers comprising
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.2
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Q
7112 km. These estuarine resources are
delineated in Summers et al. (1991).
A.2 SAMPLING DESIGN
Sample collection in the Louisianian
Province focused on ecological indicators
(see Section 2.3) during the index sampling
period (July 1-September 15), the period
when many estuarine responses to
anthropogenic and natural stresses are
expected to be most severe. The
proposed sampling design combines the
strengths of systematic and random
sampling with an understanding of
estuarine ecosystems in order to provide
an unbiased estimate of estuarine status in
the Louisianian Province. In addition,
some "biased" sites were sampled to
collect information for specific hypothesis
testing and other specific study objectives.
This resulted in sampling four types of
sampling sites during the Louisianian
Province Demonstration:
• Base sites were unbiased sampling sites
forming the core of the EMAP-E
monitoring design for the Louisianian
Province. Data collected from these
sites are the basis of the preliminary
status estimates for the Louisianian
Province.
• Supplemental sites were part of a
special pilot study to define the
appropriate spatial scale for full
implementation of EMAP-E monitoring.
The selection of these sites is unbiased
and permit the comparison of alternative
spatial scales for the large estuary class.
These sites were not used in
Louisianian Province status estimates.
• Index sites were part of a special pilot
study to determine whether individual
"representative" sites can be selected to
portray the status of individual small
lestuaries/small tidal rivers or large tidal
river segments. These sites were not
used in status estimates for the
Louisianian Province. However, these
sites were used to provide estimates of
the internal spatial variability associated
with small estuaries/small tidal rivers.
• Indicator testing and evaluation (ITE)
sites were part of a special pilot study to
determine the reliability, sensitivity, and
replicability of indicator responses for
discriminating between sites with
"known" environmental conditions.
These sites were selected on the basis
of historical information concerning
dissolved oxygen concentrations and
sediment contamination. Data from
these sites were not included in the
status estimates for the Louisianian
Province. Rather, these sites were used
to develop indices and to test the
discriminatory power of specific
indicators.
Figure A-2 presents a map of all the
unbiased base sites scheduled for
sampling in the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration. The methods used to
select sampling locations for each type of
sampling site are provided below.
A.2.1 BASE SAMPLING SITES
The sampling design for base sites was
stratified based on size into large estuaries,
large tidal rivers, and small estuaries/small
tidal rivers. Stratification permitted
customizing the sampling frame to the
specific geographic features of these
different classes. It also allowed allocation
of a strata-specific number of samples so
that class estimates could be derived with
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.3
-------
Figure A-2. Base Sampling Stations For 1991 Loulslanlan Province Monitoring.
a desired level of precision. The specific
estuarine systems that comprise each
class are delineated in Summers et al.
(1991).
Large estuary sampling sites were selected
using an enhancement of the systematic
sampling grid proposed for use throughout
EMAP (Overton 1989). This grid was
placed randomly over a map of the United
States and intensified to produce 280 km2
hexagonal cells. Fifty-five sites were
located in the 28 large estuaries by
selecting a random location within each
grid cell located in these estuaries.
Base sampling sites in the large tidal river
were selected using a spine and rib
approach that is the linear analog of the
sampling grid for large estuaries.
Segments of equal length (i.e., 25 km)
beginning at the mouth of the river and
proceeding upriver to the head of tide were
used to define sampling strata in the large
tidal river. A random location was selected
from each large tidal river segment. A total
of .ten base sampling sites was identified in
the large tidal river of the Louisianian
Province.
Selection of small estuary/small tidal river
sites was based on a list frame of the 156
systems comprising these resources
(Summers et al. 1991). Forty-seven (30%)
of the 156 systems were selected for
sampling during the 1991 Louisianian
Province Demonstration. To ensure that
the selected systems were geographically
dispersed, all small systems in the province
were ordered from east to west and
grouped into clusters of four. One system
of the four in a cluster was randomly
selected for sampling and a single random
sampling point was selected in each of
these systems.
A.2.2 SUPPLEMENTAL
SAMPLING SITES
Available data were insufficient to ascertain
the spatial scale necessary to represent
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.4
-------
the variability in the ecological status of
estuarjne systems in the Louisianian
Province with acceptable precision. To
address this problem in large estuaries,
Mobile Bay was sampled at a density four
times greater than other large estuaries
(i.e., hexagonal grid cells of 70 km2)
yielding 13 supplemental sites in Mobile
Bay as compared to 3 base sites.
A.2.3 INDEX SITES
A.2.5 SAMPLE DESIGN
OVERVIEW
The 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration included a total of 198 sites
scheduled for sampling between July 1 and
September 15; an additional 4 sites were
added for quality control. The four QC
sites were revisited during the sampling
period to examine the temporal variability
within the sampling interval.
Index sites were judgmental samples
located in deep, muddy, depositional areas
in each large tidal river segment and each
small estuary/small tidal river. These
locations were assumed to be
representative of sites within the small
systems and tidal river segments most
likely to suffer from low dissolved oxygen
stress and/or deposition of contaminants.
Ten index sites located in the large tidal
river and 47 sites were located in small
estuaries/small tidal rivers.
A.2.4 INDICATOR TESTING AND
EVALUATION SITES
Based on a review of existing data and
expert opinion, 16 indicator testing and
evaluation sites were selected for specific
geographic location (east versus west of
the Mississippi Delta), dissolved oxygen
concentration (<2 ppm versus > 5 ppm),
and magnitudes of industrial effluents and
agricultural runoff (low versus high). These
sites were sampled to investigate the
reliability of indicator responses for
discriminating between degraded and
nondegraded sites in the Louisianian
Province (Table A-1).
A.3 INDICATORS
The strategy for the selection of the
indicators used in EMAP are described by
' Knapp et al. (1990). EMAP monitoring
focuses on indicators of ecological
response to stress and uses measures of
exposure to stress as a means for
interpreting that response. Traditionally,
estuarine monitoring has focused on
measures of exposure (e.g., concentrations
of contaminants in sediments) and
attempted to infer ecological impacts based
on laboratory bioassays. The advantage of
the ecologically-based approach
emphasized in EMAP is that it can be
applied, to situations where multiple
stressors exist, acting separately or in
combination, and where natural processes
cannot be modeled easily. This is certainly
the case in estuarine systems, which are
subject to an array of anthropogenic inputs
and exhibit a great biotic diversity and ,
complex physical, chemical, and biological
interactions. t
The implementation plan for the
Louisianian Province (Summers et al.
1991) identified 10 indicator categories that
were evaluated at all base, supplemental,
and index sites and, 8 additional indicators
that were evaluated only at indicator testing
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.5
-------
SITE
Mobile Bay, AL
Walsons Bayou, FL
Relation to
Mississippi Delta1
E
E
Choctawhatehee River, FL E
Pordido Bay, AUFL
Escambla Bay
Bayou Casolte
Wolf Bay
Apalachicola Bay
Brazos River
Houston Ship Channel
Arroyo Colorado
Calcasiou Lake
Lavaca Bay
Gatvoston Bay
Laguna Madro
San Antonio Bay
1E=East W=West
2P « DO<2pprn; G =
3P = High Discharges;
4P = High Runoff; G =
E
E
E
E
E
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
DO>5ppm
G = Low Discharges
: Low Runoff
Dissolved
Oxygen2
P
. P
P
P
G
G
G
G
P
P
P
P
G
G
G
G
Industrial
Discharges3
P
P
G
G
P
P
P
G
P
•• P
G
G
P '
P
G
G
Agricultural
Runoff*
P
; G
p
G
p
G
G
G
P
G
P
G
P
G
P
G
Tobto A-1. List of ITE sites based on historical environmental conditions.
sites. These indicators were categorized
as either core, developmental, or research
(Table A-2) and as biotic and abiotic
condition indicators (Table A-3).
Additionally, several of these indicator
categories were comprised of multiple
specific indicators (Table A-4).
A.4 METHODS
Conducting a monitoring demonstration that
covers the 3000 km of coastline comprising
the Gulf Coast and produces results within
nine months requires extensive planning,
training, coordination of laboratory
activities, information management
procedures, and statistical acumen. This
section describes the procedures used to
bring all of these activities together to
produce a timely annual statistical
summary.
Another activity of primary importance
during the production phase of EMAP-E in
the Louisianian Province is quality
assurance/quality control. This activity
guarantees the credibility of the data
produced by the monitoring and,
eventually, the results of the program.
Because of the special importance of
quality assurance in EMAP, this activity is
described in detail in a separate section
(Section 5).
A.4.1 FIELD PLANNING
The success of the demonstration was
dependent on good and complete initial
planning. A draft of the implementation
plan for the demonstration was completed
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page A.6
-------
Category Indicator
Core Benthic Species Composition
and Biomass
Habitat Indicators (RPD Depth,
• - Salinity, pH,
Temperature, Water
Depth, % Silt-
Clay)
Developmental Sediment Contaminants
Sediment Toxicity
Dissolved Oxygen Concentration
Gross Pathology of Fish
Contaminants is Fish and
Shellfish Tissue
Relative Abundance of Large
Bivalves
Marine Debris
Acreage of Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation
Fish Community Composition
and Lengths
Percent Light Transmittance
Research Histopathology of Fish
(ITE Only) Skeletal Abnormalities
Blood Chemistry
Bile Florescence
Stable Isotope Ratios
Liver Lesions
Splenic Macrophage Aggregates
Liver Contaminant
Concentrations
Whole Fish Contaminant
Concentrations
Table A-2. Ecological Indicators used In the 1991
Louisianian Province demonstration.
in October 1990 (Summers et al. 1991).
This plan included the results of several
pilot programs to select indicators. After
the completion of the implementation plan,
the Province planning team was ready to
implement the pre-sampling demonstration
plan that consisted of capital equipment
purchases, reconnaissance, manual
production, and training.
An important aspect of planning for the
Louisianian Province Demonstration was
Indicator Type Indicator
Biotic Benthic Community Composition
Condition Benthic Abundance
(Response) Benthic Biomass
Fish Community Composition
Fish Lepgths
Relative Abundance of Large Bivalves
Pathology in Fish
Acreage of Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation
Dissolved Oxygen Concentration
Abiotic Sediment Contaminants
Condition Sediment Toxicity
(Exposure) Percent Light Transmittance
RPD Depth
Salinity
Temperature
Percent Silt-Clay
pH
Water Depth
Contaminants in Fish and Shellfish
Skeletal Abnormalities
Bile Florescence
Stable Isotope Ratios
Liver Lesions
Splenic Macrophage Aggegrates
Liver Contaminant Concentrations
Whole Fish Contaminant Concentrations
Table A-3. Ecological indicators used in 1991 Louisianian
Province Demonstration categorized as biotic and abiotic
condition Indicators. .
the reconnaissance of selected sampling
sites prior to sampling. The purpose of the
reconnaissance was to acquire information
that would facilitate the development of
logistics plans for field implementation.
The first phase of reconnaissance
consisted of plotting the 202 stations on
nautical charts. During this exercise, two
(2) stations were found to be located on
land and eleven (11) sites were located in
water less than 1 meter in depth (i.e., the
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page A.7
-------
Primary Indicator Subcomponents
Benthos
Fish
Largo Bivalves
Gross Pathology
Dissolved
Oxygen
Total abundance
Species composition
Species diversity
Abundance by species
Percentage by taxonomic group
Biomass
Biornass by taxonomic group
Total abundance
Species composition
Species diversity
Abundance by species
Percentage by taxonomic group
Mean length by species
Total abundance
Species composition
Mean length by species
Type of disorder
Incidence of parasitism
Instantaneous at sampling
Continuous for 24-hr (15-min
intervals)
Sediment Toxlclty Ampellsca abdita 10-day test
Mysidopsis bahia 4-day test
Sediment
Contaminants
Sediment
Characters
Tissue
Contaminants
23 polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons
27 aliphatic hydrocarbons
15 metals
18 pesticides
22 PCB congeners
Butyltins
Percent silt-clay
Grain size distribution
Acid volatile sulfides
Total organic carbon
15 metals
18 pesticides
22 PCB congeners
Table A-4. Subcomponents of ecological Indicators.
draft of the sampling vessel), and 18 sites
were located in areas of unknown depth.
The two landward sites were relocated
because they occurred in the small estuary
class (i.e., if the sites had been in the large
estuary class they would have been
excluded). The 29 sites with unknown
depths or depths less than 1 rneter were
"marked" for close reconnaissance.
All 202 sampling sites were visited during
multiple reconnaissance periods from
February-April 1991. As a result of this
activity, 15 sites were assigned
"unsampleable" status (Table A-5) and 6
additional stations were assessd to be of
marginal depth for sampling.
"Unsampleable" sites represent locations
selected by the sampling design that are
acceptable to all criteria of the sample
design but logistically cannot be reached or
sampled, usually due to insufficient depth.
These sites remain as part of the
monitoring program and represent the
proportion of the estuarine resources in the
Louisianian Province theit cannot-be
sampled by the existing design (depth zone
0-.75 m). The six marginal sites were
included in the sampling because tidal
action in the winter season produces
significantly shallower depths (i.e., tides .3-
.6 m) than in the summer season (i.e.,
tides .1-.3 m). Based on these
reconnaissance results, logistics plans
(Macauley and Summers 1991 a; Phifer et
al. 1991) were developed to sample the
remaining 187 sites over a six-week period
during July-August 1991.
Before training and subsequent sampling
could be initiated, several reference
documents were compiled to guide training,
ensure data quality, standardize field and
laboratory methods, and provide logistical
support to the field teams. These
documents include:
• Field Operations Manual (Macauley and
Summers 1991 a)
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageA.8
-------
• Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan
(Heitmuller and Valente 1991)
• Logistics Plan - Eastern Region
(Macauley and Summers 1991b)
• Logistics Plan - Western Region (Phifer
etal. 1991)
**
• Grew Chief Training Manual (Macauley
etal. 1991 a)
• Crew Training Manual (Macauley et al.
1991b)
• Laboratory Methods Manual (USEPA
1991)
• Revision of the Implementation Plan
(Summers etal. 1991)
• Demonstration Project Report (Summers
etaM992b)
Station
LA91LS13
LA91LS01
LA91LS02
LA91LR04
LA91LR07
LA91LR51
LA91LR52
LA91LR53
LA91LR54
LA91SR30
LA91SI30
LA91SR18
LA91SI18
LA91SR43
LA91SI43
LA91SR24
LA91SI24
LA91SR22
LA91SI22
LA91SR46
LA91SI46
Site
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay
Choctawhatchee Bay
Mississippi Sound
Laguna Madre
Laguna Madre
Laguna Madre
Laguna Madre
Ecofina River
Eoofina River
Star Lake
Star Lake
Highland Bayou
Highland Bayou
Powderhom Lake
Powderhom Lake
Cedar Lakes
Cedar Lakes
Rio Grande
Rio Grande
Status
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Marginal
Marginal
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Unsampleable
Marginal
Marginal
Marginal
Marginal
Table A-5. List of Unsampleable stations In the 1991
Loulslanlan Province Demonstration due to Insufficient
sampling depth based on 1991 reconnaissance.
All of the documents are available from the
EMAP Province Manager at the EPA
Environmental Research Laboratory at Gulf
Breeze, Florida or from EMAP
Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
A.4.2 TRAINING
Formal training was held at the Gulf Breeze
Environmental Research Laboratory, Gulf
Breeze, FL from May 20 to June 19, 1991.
A total of 38 participants were trained to
conduct sampling in accordance with
EMAP protocols. Corroboration of the
crews' understanding of the field protocols
was determined by the use of final field
certification exercises. The crews were
required to conduct all components of the
sampling activities at each station and
were scored by senior EMAP-E personnel
on their performance of 100 field and
laboratory functions. The scores were
normalized to percentage and a team score
of > 90% was required for certification. All
crews were successfully certified.
A.4.3 FIELD SAMPLING AND
LOGISTICS
One of the primary objectives of the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration was to
evaluate the feasibility of collecting, within
a limited sampling period, the kinds and
volume of data required to produce a
regional assessment of ecological
condition. This subsection uses 1991
Demonstration results to address two
fundamental questions pertaining to
logistics and quality assurance for future
EMAP monitoring in estuaries:
• Could the data required for developing a
regional assessment of ecological
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.9
-------
condition be collected with the level of
effort and sampling methods determined
by the planning process?
• Does the sampling plan ensure the
collection of "usable" data? "Usable"
data have satisfied a series of criteria of
suitability for the intended use (i.e.,
quality assurance; see Heitmuller and
Valente, 1991).
This subsection also identifies logistical
problems encountered in the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration.
Three sampling teams (East, Delta, and
West), each consisting of two rotating 5-
person crews, sampled the 187 sites
comprising the Louisianian Province
Demonstration according to the logistics
plans (Macauley and Summers 1991b,
Phiferetal. 1991). Crews worked
alternating six-day shifts. Exchanges
between crews occurred at pre-designated
sites so that information could be
exchanged between Crew Chiefs.
The three teams sampled 183 sitesof the
187 intended sites. Four sites were
determined to be "unsampleable" due to
insufficient depth; two in the Ecofina River,
FL (< 0.5 m) and two in the Rio Grande,
TX (< 0.7 m at only available ramp and 0.5
m at mouth). Quality control inspections
were conducted of each crew during its first
six-day tour. On the whole, the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration was
successful in its attempt to collect large
amounts of information and samples over a
relatively short time period. The overall
effectiveness of the 1991 sampling plan is
reflected in the high percentage of stations
for which usable data were obtained for the
variety of parameters measured (Table A-
6). While all stations were sampled as
planned, not every site was sampled for
every parameter and not even/ sample was
successfully processed and shipped to its
corresponding analytical laboratory. The
remainder of this subsection delineates the
number of samples successfully collected,
successfully shipped, successfully
completed QC evaluation, and summarizes
the percentage completion for each
sampled parameter.
Six data sets did not require any laboratory
analysis (i.e., collected directly on board
the vessel). These include: instantaneous
water quality, continuous water quality,
marine debris, fish/shellfish abundance and
community composition, RPD depth, and
large bivalve abundance. Instantaneous
water quality measures (i.e., salinity,
temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, %
surface light transmittance, and water
depth) were successfully collected from all
sites at 1-meter intervals from surface to
bottom. Continuous water quality
parameters (i.e., salinity, temperature, pH,
dissolved oxygen, % saturation, and water
depth collected every 15 minutes for 24
hours) were successfully obtained from 162
of the scheduled 163 sites (i.e., no
continuous meters were deployed in the
Mississippi River due to excessive
currents). The lack of continuous data
from the Mississippi River does not create
a problem. General water quality
conditions in this water body could be
inferred from instantaneous measures
because the water column was well-mixed
over its 15-40m depth. Variability in all
water quality measures was extremely
small throughout the 250-km length of the
Mississippi River that was sampled (e.g.,
dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged
from 5.0 to 6.5 ppm over the sampled
length of the river). The single continuous
water quality data gap resulted from a
battery malfunction. The high success
rate of deploying and retrieving useful
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page A.10
-------
Sample Type
Water Quality
DataSonde III
Sediment Profile
Benthos
Toxicity
Chemistry
Fish Trawls
Fish Chemistry
Bivalve Dredge
Stable Isotope
Bile Extraction
Blood Extraction
Skeletal X-Rays
Gross Pathology
Hispathology
Expected
183
183
764
581
398
1098
199
366
158
16
16
16
200
4500
200
Collected
183
182
764
581
398
1098
196
591
155
16
7
7
436
8613
436
Received Processed
183
182
, 763
581
398
1095
196
591
155
16
7
7
436
8613
436
1Only 300 samples authorized for analysis, remaining 291
183
182
763
581
398
1095
196
300
155
16
7
7
436
8613
436
Completed
100%
99%
100%
100%
100%
100%
98%
100%1
98%
100%
44%
44%
100%
100%
100%
samples are being archived for
possible future analysis.
Table A-6. Comparison of number of samples expected, successfully collected, shipped,
processed, and completed.
information from the Hydrolab systems
indicate the overall feasibility of multi-day
deployments of these devices to
characterize continuous water quality
conditions.
Marine debris was inventoried at all 183
sites; all collections were categorized as:
plastic, metal, glass, wood, or other. Only
debris of potential anthropogenic origin was
catalogued.
Triplicate measures of redox potential
discontinuity depth were successfully
collected from each site.
Fish trawls were completed at all but 4
sites. These sites represented areas of
heavily fouled bottoms (2 base sites and 1
index site) or heavy commercial traffic (1
base site). After repeated sampling
attempts resulting in snagged nets or
abbreviated trawls, trawling at these 4 sites
was discontinued. These sites represent
less than 0.1% of the surface area of the
estuarine resources being characterized in.
the Louisianian
Province. Fish trawls
produced 12,166 fish
of which
approximately 60%
were target species.
As a result of the
distribution of the ten
target species, 4 sites
provided no
opportunity for the
collection of fish for
tissue contaminant
analysis (i.e.,
unsampleable). In
addition, 2 sites
produced no fish from
multiple trawls and 15
sites did not produce
sufficient tissue
biomass to permit contaminant analysis.
Thus, 21 of the 183 sites (11%) sampled in
1991 cannot be evaluated with regard to
fish contaminant concentrations. While
these 21 sites represent 11% of the
monitoring sites, they represent only 5% of
the surface area of the Louisianian
All but 7 sites of the 163 scheduled
locations were sampled for large bivalves
using the dredge (i.e., no dredge samples
were collected in the Mississippi River due
to the abundance of debris on the bottom).
Of these 7 sites, 4 sites correspond to
locations where we were denied access to
privately leased shellfish beds (i.e.,
Barataria Bay and Little Lake, LA). The
remaining 3 sites correspond to the areas
where fish trawling was not possible due to
bottom debris.
Benthic sampling provided samples for four
activities: benthic enumeration (abundance,
composition, and biomass), sediment
characterization (AVS, % silt-clay, TOC,
grain size), toxicity testing (Ampelisca and
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageA.11
-------
mysid), and sediment contaminant
concentrations. All sites were successfully
sampled and all samples were successfully
transported to their associated laboratories
with one exception. A single sediment
characterization core (one of four
replicates) was shipped to the incorrect
laboratory without ice, making the sample
unuseable. This sediment core represents
1 of 4 taken at a specific location and .1 of
764 samples analyzed to characterize this
indicator. All laboratory samples
associated with the benthic collections
produced useable information. Metal
analyses for three sites were not completed
initially due to a misplacement of the
samples at the laboratory. This omission
was noted when the incoming data set was
quality- control checked. The samples
were subsequently located and analyzed.
The metals data from these three sites
were merged with the existing data set. All
other analyses were successful and
produced data that met EMAP-E quality
control criteria (see Section 6 and .
Heitmuller and Valente 1991).
A.4.4 INDICATOR SAMPLING
METHODS
The EMAP indicator strategy involves four
types of ecological indicators (Hunsaker
and Carpenter 1990, Knapp et al. 1991):
response, exposure, habitat, and stressor
(Fig. A-3). Response indicators are
ecological characteristics that integrate the
responses of living resources to specific or
multiple pollutants and other stresses and
are used by EMAP to assess overall
estuarine condition. Exposure indicators
quantify pollutant exposure and habitat
degradation and will be used mainly to
identify associations among stresses on
the environment and degradation in
response indicators. Habitat indicators
provide basic information about the natural
environmental setting and are used to
normalize exposure and response
indicators to natural environmental
gradients. Stressor indicators are used to
quantify pollution inputs or stresses and
identify the probable sources of pollution
exposure. Examples of the relationships
between response, exposure, and habitat
indicators sampled during the 1991
Louisianian Province Demonstration are
given in Fig. A-3. Descriptions of the
methods used of individual indicators have
been taken from the Near Coastal Program
Plan (Holland 1990), the Louisianian
Province Implementation Plan (Summers et
al. 1991), the Louisianian Province Field
Methods Manual (Macauley and Summers
1991 a), and the Near Coastal Laboratory
Procedures Manual (USEPA 1990). Figure
A-4 describes the sampling activities that
occurred at base, index, and supplemental
sites. Figure A-5 describes these activities
at indicator testing and evaluation sites.
A.4.4.1 RESPONSE INDICATORS
A.4.4.1.1 BENTHOS
Benthic invertebrate assemblages are
composed of diverse taxa with a variety of
reproductive modes, feeding guilds, life
history characteristics, and physiological
tolerances to environmental conditions
(Warwick 1980; Bilyard 1987). As a result,
benthic populations respond to changes in
conditions, both natural and anthropogenic,
in a variety of ways (Pearson and
Rosenberg 1978; Rhoads et al. 1978;
Boesch and Rosenberg 1981). Responses
of some benthic organisms indicate
changes in water quality while others
indicate changes in sediment quality.
Because most benthic organisms have
limited mobility, they cannot avoid
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageA.12
-------
exposure to pollution stress as many other
estuarine organisms can (e.g., fish).
Benthic communities have proven to be a
reasonable and effective indicator of the
extent and magnitude of pollution impacts
in estuarine environments (Bilyard 1987;
Holland et al. 1988, 1989) when studied
over extended time scales.
Benthic samples for measures of species
composition, abundance, and biomass
were collected at all sampling sites.
Samples were collected with a Young-
modified Van Veen grab which samples a
surface area of 440 cm2. Three grabs
were collected at each base, index, or
supplement site, while five grabs were
collected at each indicator testing site. A
small core (60cc) was taken from each
grab for sediment characterization. The
remaining sample was sieved through a 0.5
mm screen using a backwash technique
that minimized damage to soft-bodied
animals. Samples were preserved in 10%
formalin-rose bengal solution and stored for
at least 30 days prior to processing.
In the laboratory, macrobenthos were
transferred from formalin to an ethanol
solution and sorted, identified to lowest
practical taxonomic level, and counted.
Biomass was measured for selected key
taxa; biomass for all other taxa were
measured based on groups according to
taxonomic type (e.g., polychaetes,
amphipods, decapods). Shell-free dry
weight was determined using an analytical
balance with an accuracy of 0.1 mg after
drying at 60 C. Large bivalves were
shucked prior to determining biomass.
Smaller shells were removed by
acidification using a 10% HCI solution.
All compositional and biomass data were
transferred to the Environmental Research
Laboratory at Gulf Breeze, FL, incorporated
into the Louisianian Province Information
Management System (LP-IMS), and quality
control checked. All data met quality
criteria.
RESPONSE
INDICATORS
Llvlnf Resources
Abundance Biomass
Benthos and Fish •*
Diversity/Composition
Benthos and Fish
Fish Patholojy/HIspopalhology
NotriatUSOO laxttnp
Contaminant loadings
HydmlogK Modifications
5horeMne Dentymenr
Freshwater Discharge
Climate
land Use Patterns
_ Pollutant Loadings
Human Population Density
Human Demographics
Water Depth
Salinity
Sediment Characteristic*
Figure A-3. Overview of the EMAP indicator strategy giving examples of the types of indicators used to assess estuarine
status.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageA.13
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A.4.4.1.2 FISH
There are several advantages to using fish
as a potential indicator of estuarine
condition. Because of their longevity and
dominant position at the upper end of the
estuarine food web, fish responses can
integrate many short-term and small-scale
environmental perturbations. Fish are
known to respond to most environmental
problems of concern in estuaries, including
eutrophication, habitat modification, and
pathogenic or toxic contamination.
However, fish indicators like community
composition may vary seasonally and be
difficult to evaluate using species-specific
gears.
Fish were collected by trawling with a 16-ft,
high-rise otter trawl with a 2.5-cm mesh
cod end. The net was towed for 10
minutes against the tide (if significant tidal
current existed) between 0.7 and 1.0 m/s.
All fish caught in the trawl were identified to
species and counted; up to 30 individuals
of each target species (Table A-7) and up
to 20 fish of non-target species from each
collection were measured to the nearest
millimeter.
Up to 10 indivduals were retained from
each trawl for tissue analysis. The
Target Species
Brown Shrimp (Penaeus aztecus)
Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)
White Shrimp (Penaeus setiferus)
Hardhead Catfish (Anus fells)
Blue Crab (Callinectes sapldus)
Spot (Lehstomus xanthurus)
Plnffsh (Lagodon rfiomboides)
Soulham Rounder (Parallchtys lethostigma)
Sand Seatrout (Cynosclon arenarius)
Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus)
Tablo A-7. Target Species In 1991 Loulslanlan Province
Demonstration.
specimens were labeled, frozen on dry ice,
packaged and shipped to the laboratory
where they were stored, frozen, for
subsequent tissue contaminant analysis for
the contaminants listed in Table A-8.
Based upon frequency of catch,
composites of individuals were selected for
contaminant analysis. Table A-9 depicts
the observed catch frequencies for the
target species. Based on these
frequencies, shrimp (brown or white),
catfish (hardhead or gafftopsail), and
Atlantic croaker were selected for analysis.
These three groups each comprised about
45-55% of the sampled locations. In
addition, the non-target species, blue
catfish, Ictalurus furcatus (the most
common oligohaline catfish taken), was
included in the catfish group.
At all stations where fish were collected, all
individuals were inspected for gross
external pathological disorders. This
inspection included checking body surface
and fins for skin discoloration, raised
scales, white or black spots, ulcers, fin
erosion, lumps or growths, parasites, and
opercular deformity; the branchial chamber
for gill discoloration, erosion, deformity,
parasites, and lumps and growths; the
buccal cavity for hemmorrhages,
parasites.and lumps or growths; the overall
morphology of the fish for skeletal
malformations; and condition of the eyes.
Specimens with observed gross
pathologies were preserved in Dietrich's
solution for laboratory verification and
histological examination. At indicator
testing sites, all specimens exhibiting gross
pathologies, up to 30 pathology-free
specimens of each target species, and up
to 20 specimens of each non-target
species that were free of external gross
pathologies were preserved for quality
control checks of field observations. These
fish also received histopathological
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageA.14
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DDT and It Metabolites
o,p'-DDD
p,p'-DDD
o,p'-DDE
p,p'-DDE
o,p'-DDT
p,p'-DDT
Trace Elements
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
Chlorinated Pesticides Other Than DDT
Aldrin
Alpha-Chlordane
Trans-Nonachlor
Dieldrin
Endrin
Endosulfan
Heptachlor
Heptachlor epoxide
\ Hexachlorobenzene
Lindane (gamma-BHC)
Mirex
Toxaphene
18 PCB Congeners
PCB No. Compound Name
8 2,4'-dichlorobiphenyl
18 2,2',5-trichlorobiphenyl
28 2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl
44 2,2',3,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl
52 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl
66 2)3',4,4'-tetrachIorobiphenyl
77 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl
101 2,2',4,5,5'-pentachlorobiphenyl
105 2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyl
118 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl
126 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobipheny|
128 2,2',3,3',4,4'-hexachlorobiphenyl
138 2,2',3,4,4',5'-hexachiorobiphenyl
153 2,2',3,4,4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl
170 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl
180 2,2',3,3',4,4',5-heptachlorobiphenyl
187 2,2',3,4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl
195 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,6-octachlorobiphenyl
206 2,2',3,3')4,4',5,5',6-honachlorobiphenyl
209 decachlorobiphenyl
Table A-8. Contamlnents analyzed for In edible fish and
shellfish tissue.
Target Species Expected1 Observed
Brown Shrimp
Atlantic Croaker
White Shrimp
Hardhead Catfish
Blue Crab
Spot
Pinfish
Southern Flounder
Sand Seatrout
Gafftopsail Catfish
73%
58%
53%
50%
50%
47%
48%
41%
41%
29%
1 Expected frequencies were
average frequency of catch
obtained by state monitoring
August (1980-1 990).
. 26%
52%
23%
48%
42%
28%
25%
12%
26%
24%
based on the
of the selected
programs during
weighted
species
July and
Table A-9. Expected versus realized catch frequencies of fish
targeted for the 1991 Louisianian Province Demonstration.
examinations to assess the magnitude of
liver lesions, spleenic macrophage
aggregates, and gill or kidney disfunction.
In addition, all of these specimens were X-
rayed to assess skeletal aberrations.
A.4.4.1.3 LARGE BIVALVES
The occurrence of large, older bivalves at a
site generally indicates that the general
absence of toxic environmental conditions
at that site over time. The relative
immobility of bivalves makes them good
integrators of long-term environmental
conditions at the site from which they were
collected.
A modified oyster dredge was used to
collect specimens of large infaunal and
epifaunal species. The dredge, equipped
with a collection bag, was towed over the
bottom for five minutes at approximately 1
m/s. Mollusks were identified to species
and counted. Shell length was measured
for up to 30 randomly selected individuals
of each species in order to provide an
indication of the age structure of the
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.15
-------
population. Up to 30 individuals of each
species collected were frozen on dry ice
and shipped to NOAA's Gulf National
Status and Trends laboratory for archival
purposes.
A.4.4.2 EXPOSURE INDICATORS
A.4.4.2.1 SEDIMENT
CHARACTERIZATION
The physical characteristics of estuarine
sediments (e.g., grain size, silt-clay
content) and certain chemical aspects of
sediments (e.g., acid volatile sulfide (AVS)
content, total organic carbon (TOC)
content) influence the distribution of benthic
fauna and the accumulation of
contaminants in sediments (Rhoads 1974,
Plumb 1981, DiToro et al. 1991). Sediment
grain size and silt-clay content were
collected to help interpret the response
indicators and sediment contaminant
accumulations. AVS and TOC were
collected not only as interpretive aids but
also as potential covariates for toxic
contaminant accumulation.
A subsample from each of the benthic and
sediment contaminant grabs was retained
to determine these sediment
characteristics. Samples were .shipped, on
ice, to the appropriate processing
laboratory. Samples for the determination
of silt-clay content and grain size
distribution were sieved using a 63|im
mesh sieve. Both the filtrate and the
fraction retained on the sieve were dried in
an oven at 60 C and weighed to calculate
the proportion of silts and clays in the
sample.
Procedures for determining grain size
distribution generally followed the
framework described for the silt-clay
analysis; however, the fraction retained on
the sieve was processed through an
additional sieve analysis to determine
specific grain size percentages. The filtrate
was processed using pipette analysis.
Total organic carbon and acid volatile
sulfides were determined for each site.
TOC was determined by drying a minimum
of 5 g wet weight of sediment for 48 hours.
Weighed subsamples are ground to fine
consistency and acidified to remove
sources of inorganic carbon (e.g., shell
fragments). The acidified sample was
ignited in a furnace at approximately 950°
C and the carbon dioxide evolved was
measured with a infrared gas analyzer.
These peaks were converted to total
organic carbon.
Total acid volatile sulfides were determined
for each site. AVS was determined by the
measurement of amorphorous or
moderately crystalline monosulfides.
These substances are important in
controlling the bioavaiiability of metals in
anoxic sediments. If the molar ratio of
metal to AVS exceeds one, then the metal
is potentially bioavailable (DiToro et al.
Unfortunately, the collection methods
employed in the 1991 Demonstration
permitted the potential release of sulfides
when the materials where processed
onboard the sampling vessel and in
subsequent shipping. The sample was
collected from a homogenized composite
(i.e., maximal exposure to oxygen) and
shipped in a container that allowed a
headspace that might encouraige the
elimination of sulfides. As a result, the
accuracy of the AVS measurements were
in doubt although the precision may remain
reliable as all samples were treated
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.16
-------
similarly. Modifications to the collection
methods have been determined for the
1992 sampling to prevent a recurrence of
these errors.
A.4.4.2.2 SEDIMENT
CONTAMINANTS
Metals, organic chemicals, and fine-grained
sediments entering estuaries from
freshwater inflows, point sources of
pollution, and various non-point sources
including atmospheric deposition, generally
are retained within estuaries and
accumulate in the sediments (Turekian
1977, Fdrstnerand Wittman 1981, Schubel
and Carter 1984, Nixon et al. 1986, Hinga
1988). Sediment samples for contaminant
analysis were collected from all sites.
Samples were collected from a
homogenate created during sampling by
combining the top 2 cm of sediment from
6-10 sediment grabs. The sediment was
placed in clean glass jars with foil lid liners,
shipped on ice, and stored frozen in the
laboratory prior to analysis for organic
contaminants. In addition, a subsample
was taken from the same homogenate and
placed in a plastic bag, shipped on ice, and
stored frozen in the laboratory for
subsequent analysis for metals. The
sediments were analyzed for the NOAA
National Status and Trends suite of
contaminants and several additional
contaminants of particular interest in the
Louisianian Province (e.g., alkanes, Table
A-10) analyzed using the methods in Table
A-11.
A.4.4.2.3 SEDIMENT TOXICITY
Sediment toxicity testing is the most direct
measure available for determining the
toxicity of contaminants in sediments to
sensitive indigenous biota. It improves
upon direct measurement of sediment
contaminants because many contaminants
are tightly bound to sediment particles or
are chemically complexed and, therefore,
are not biologically available (USEPA
1989). Sediment toxicity testing cannot be
used to replace direct measurement of the
concentrations of contaminants in sediment
because such measurements are an
important part of interpreting the results of
toxicity tests.
Sediment for the toxicity tests was
collected using a Young-modified Van
Veen grab used for benthic invertebrate
sampling. The top 2 cm of 6-10 grabs was
placed in a mixing bowl and homogenized.
Care was taken to avoid collecting
sediment adjacent to the edges of the
collection device and the mixing bowl was
stored on ice between grabs to control
temperature and avoid extraneous
contaminantion. After approximately 3,000
ml of sediment were collected and
completely homogenized, the sediment
was distributed among containers for
sediment toxicity testing, sediment
chemistry, and sediment characterization.
Toxicity tests were performed using the
composite sediment samples from each
station. Tests were conducted using the
standard 10-day acute test method (Swartz
et al. 1985, ASTM 1990) and the tube-
dwelling amphipod Ampelisca abdita.
Because of the difficulty in obtaining this
amphipod (i.e., its abundance in the Gulf
region is low and it is not culturable),
standard 4-day acute tests using the
mysid, Mysidopsis bahia, were also
conducted. Five replicate tests were
completed for each site. The bioassays
were completed under static conditions for
4 or 10 days at 20° C and 30 ppt.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.17
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Alkanes and laoprenold
C10 C16
C11 C17
C12 Pristane
C13 C18
C14
C15
Polyaromallc Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Aconaphlhono
Aconophlhylono
Anlhracono
Bonz(a)anlhracene
Bonzo(b)tluorantheno
Bonzo(k)(luoranthene
Benzo(g,h,i)pery[ene
Bonzo(a)pyrene
DDT and Us metabolites
o.p'-DDD p,p'-DDE
p.p'-DDD o,p'-DDT
o,p'-DOE p,p'-DDT
Major ElemanU
Aluminum
Iron
Manganese
PCD Congeners:
PCS No. Compound Name
6 2,4'-dlchlorobiphenyl
18 2,at,5-trichlorobiphenyl
28 2.4.4'-trich!orobiphenyl
44 2,2',3,5'-to!rachtorobiphenyl
52 2,2',5.5Mstrachlorobiphenyl
66 2,3'.4,4'-lelradilorofaiphenyl
101 2,2',4,5,5'-pentaohlorobphenyl
105 2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyl
Phytane C22
C19 C23
C20 C24
C21 C25
Benzo(e)pyrene
Biphenyl
Chrysene
Dibenz(a,b)anlhracene
2,6-dimethylnaphthaIene
Fluoranthene
Fluorens
ldeno(1 ,2,3-c,d)pyrene
Chlorinated pesticides other than DDT
Aldrin
Alpha-Chlordane
Trans-Nonachlor
Endrin
Endosulfan
Dleldrin
Trace Elements
Antimony
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lead
C26 C30
C27 C31
C28 C32
C29 . C33
C34
2-melhylnaphthslene
1 -melhylnaphlhalene
1 -methylphenanthrene
Naphthalene
Perylene
Phenanthrene
Pyrene
2,3,5-Trimethylnaphthalene
Heptachlor
Heptachlor epoxido
Hexachlorobenzene
Lindane (gamma-E!HC)
Mirex
Toxaphene
Mercury
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
110/77 2.3.3',4'.6-penlachlorobiphenyV3,3',4,4Metraohlorobiphenyl
118 2.3',4,4',5-penlachlorobiphenyl
126 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl
1 28 a^.S.S'^^'-hexachlorobiphenyl
1 38 2.2',3,4.4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl
1 53 2,2',3.4.41,5'-hexachlorobiprieny!
170 2,21,4,4'.S,5'-hexaohlorobiphenyl
180 2,2',3.3',4,4',5-heplachlorobiphenyl
1 87 2,2',3.4.41.5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl
1 95 2,2'.3.3',4.4',5,6-octachIorobIphenyl
206 2,21,3.3',4.41,5.5',6-nonachlorob[phenyl
209 decachlorobiphenyl
Other Measurements
Bulyllins Add volatile suHides Total organic carbon
Grain size distribution %Silt-Clay
Table A-10. Analytical measurements for sediment samples collected during the 1991 Loulsianlan Province
Domonstratlon.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageA.18
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Compounds
Inorganics:
Ag, Al, Cr, Cu, Fe,
Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn
As, Cd, Sb, Se, Sn
Hg
Organics:
Extraction/Cleanup
PAH measurement
PCB/pesticide
Method
Total digestion using HF/HN03 (open vessel hot plate) followed by inductively
coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis.
Microwave digestion using HN03/HCI followed by graphite furnace atomic
absorption (GFAA) analysis.
Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry
Soxhlet extraction, extract drying using sodium sulfate, extract concentration using
Kudema-Danish apparatus, removal of elemental sulfur with activated copper,
removal of organic interferents with GPC and/or alumina.
Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
Gas chromatography/electron capture detection (GC/ECD) with second column
confirmation
Table A-11. Analytical methods ueed In 1991 for determination of chemical contaminant concentrations In sediments.
Additional toxicity tests were run at the
indicator testing sites to examine a species
of commercial importance, brown shrimp
(Penaeus aztecus), and a benthic species
that was in constant contact with the
sediment, the polychaete, Nereis succinea.
A.4.4.2.4 DISSOLVED OXYGEN
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is important
because adequate levels are a
fundamental requirement for maintenance
of populations of benthos, fish, shellfish,
and other estuarine biota. DO
concentrations are affected by
environmental stresses, such as point and
nonpoint discharges of nutrients or oxygen-
demanding materials (e.g., particulates,
dissolved organic matter). In addition,
stresses that occur in conjunction with low
DO concentrations may be even more
detrimental to biota (e.g., exposure to
hydrogen sulfide, decreased resistance to
disease and contaminants). DO levels are
highly variable over time, fluctuating widely
due to tidal action, wind stress, and
biological activity (Kemp and Boynton
1980, Welsh and Eller 1991), One of the
objectives of the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration was to collect regional data
to best represent the dissolved oxygen
conditions in the estuaries of the province.
In 1990, pilot studies in northern Gulf of
Mexico estuaries were conducted to
assess the most accurate short-term
measurement of DO that would represent
the dynamics of the DO conditions at a site
over the entire 6-8 week sampling period.
Continuous meters could be deployed at all
sampling sites for the 6-week period;
however, only at great expense.
The purpose of the pilot studies was to
determine if shorter periods of
measurement could be effectively used to
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
PageA.19
-------
characterize sites. Continuous meters that
measured DO, percent DO saturation,
salinity, temperature, water depth, and pH
were deployed at eight locations over a 4-
month period. Details of the study design
and site locations are described in
Summers and Engle (1992). Monte Carlo
analysis of the eight 4-month records
showed that tidal influences during summer
months were small and that day-night
differences accounted for most of the
observed variability with wind stress
accounting for most event-oriented
phenomena. These analyses revealed that
1, 2, or 3 random instantaneous measures
of DO were likely to misclassify a station
with unacceptable DO conditions (i.e., DO
< 2 ppm for > 20% of time period) as
acceptable at a rate of 60-70%.
Furthermore, short-term continuous
measures of 24, 48, and 72 hours also
tended to misclassify unacceptable sites
although not as often as instantaneous DO
measures (i.e., 50%). However, the use of
the minimum DO concentration observed in
a randomly selected 24-hour period
coupled with the mean nighttime DO
concentration, and the concentration at
dawn produced a predictor of DO
conditions that was correct for 95% of the
Monte Carlo trials. As a result, both
continuous 24-hour and instantaneous
measures were selected to be measured at
all Louisianian Province sites.
Dissolved oxygen was sampled in two
ways during the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration: 1) point-in-time water
column profiles, and 2) continuous 24-hr
measurements of bottom concentrations.
Both types of measures were taken at all
sites. A Hydrolab Surveyor 2 equipped
with a DO electrode was used to make the
instantaneous measurements. In addition
to DO, the Surveyor 2 measured salinity,
temperature, depth, and pH. This
instrument was calibrated daily using
known solutions (Heitmuller and Valente
1991). Vertical profiles of the water column
at meter intervals from surface to bottom
were taken at all sites.
A Hydrolab DataSonde 3 data logger was
also deployed at each site for 24-36 hours
(always including the time period 1800-
0600) to collect continuous DO data at 15-
min intervals. In addition, the DataSonde 3
collected salinity, temperature, percent DO
saturation, water depth, and pH. The
DataSonde 3s were calibrated prior to
every deployment, checked onboard ship
immediately prior to deployment by
comparison to the Surveyor 2, and checked
weekly against air-saturated water. These
instruments were deployed approximately
0.5 m from the bottom. Collected data
were downloaded to a computer and
recalibrated for subsequent deployment at
another site.
A.4.4.3 RESEARCH INDICATORS
Research indicators were examined only at
ITE sites. The results of these indicators
will be documented in the Louisianian
Province Demonstration Report to be
published in late 1992. The methods are
provided here in order to document all
indicators that were collected in 1991.
A.4.4.3.1 MACROPHAGE
AGGREGATES
Pigment-bearing macrophages are a
prominent feature of fish spleen, kidney,
and liver (Agius, 1980) and in advanced
teleosts they form discrete aggregations
called macrophage aggregates (MAs)
(Wolke et al. 1985). Suggested functions
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Loulslanlan Province -1991
Page A.20
-------
for these aggregates include the
centralization of foreign materials and
cellular debris for destruction, detoxification
and/or reuse, (Ferguson 1976; Ellis et al.
1976). It has been demonstrated that MAs
occurrence may vary depending on the
size, nutritional status, or health of a
particular fish species (Agius 1979, 1980;
Agius and Roberts 1981, Wolke et al.
1985) with the number and size of MAs
increasing with age, starvation, and/or
disease. Recent studies suggest that MAs
may be sensitive histological indicators of
fish health and environmental quality. By
comparing the MA number and percent
area occupied by MAs among fish of the
same age and species from various sites, it
may be possible to determine their relative
conditions at those sites.
Data on MAs are collected from 6 |nm
histological sections of spleen from
selected fish species (i.e., pinfish, Atlantic
croaker) of similar size. Sections are
stained with Harris' hematoxylin and eosin
or Perls' prussian blue method (Luna
1968). Occurrence of MAs are determined
by two methods. First, during initial
histological evaluation, the occurrence and
intensity of MAs are rated using a scale of
0 to 4, with 0 being no MAs present, 1
indicating minimal occurrence, and 2
through 4 indicating light, moderate, and
heavy MA intensity, respectively.
Secondly, the MA number and individual
MA area are estimated from three random
fields per spleen using computer image
analysis (MicroComp ™ Integrated Image
Analysis System Particle Analysis). These
data, identified by individual and site, are
compiled and analyzed using SAS. Data
produced include MAs per mm2, average
MA area (nm2), and percent area occupied
by MAs. Comparisons are then made
among sites by species to determine
statistical differences.
A.4.4.3.2 SKELETAL ANOMALIES
Measurement of skeletal deformities in fish
has been proposed as a means of
monitoring pollution effects in marine
environments (Bengtsson 1979, Bengtsson
and Bengtsson 1983). Likewise,
measurements of biochemical composition
and mechanical properties of vertebrae
have been shown to be indicators of bone
development in fish exposed to
contaminants in the laboratory (Hamilton et
al.,1981, Mayer et al. 1977), and in the '
field (Mehrle et al. 1982). Skeletal
abnormalities in fourhorn sculpin
(Myoxocephalus quadricornis) have been
used to monitor the impacts of ore smelter
and pulp mill effluents in the Baltic Sea
(Bengtsson etal. 1985).
Effects of organic and inorganic
contaminants on bone integrity are similar
in that vertebral anomalies are produced,
although they may develop through
different modes of action. This similarity
makes the use of biochemical composition
and mechanical properties, as well as
vertebral deformities, conducive to
assessing the effect of an array of
contaminants on fish health. All preserved
fishes were x-rayed laterally with a Hewlett
Packard™ Faxitron Series X-ray System
set at 50kVp for 20 to 50 seconds,
depending on the size of the specimen.
Kodak™ Industrex M-2 film was used for
all radiographs and they were developed
for 5 minutes in Kodak™ D-19 developer.
Vertebral anomalies were determined from
the x-rays by light box and confirmed by
low-power light microscopy. Deformaties
were classified according to Bengtsson and
Bengtsson.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Loulsianian Province -1991
Page A.21
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A.4.4.3.3 BLOOD CHEMISTRY
In both human and veterinary medicine,
clinical chemistry measurements and
routine hematology are used to assess
health of individuals. Altered values in
serum enzymes or other proteins,
electrolytes, or bloodcells of fish can be
indicative of tissue damage, tumors, or
impaired immunological functions. Blood
was collected from all fish greater than 200
mm in total length at all indicator testing
and evaluation sites. Blood, removed by
vacutainer, was stored on ice, shipped as
soon as possible to the laboratory, and
analyzed using a Beckman™ Synchron
CX-5.
A.4.4.3.4 BILE FLUORESCENCE
Organisms exposed to petroleum
compounds often accumulate polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Tissue
analysis for PAHs often show only trace
concentrations, even after high-level
exposure, because enzymatic-mediated
metabolism can rapidly reduce
concentrations. The exposure of fish to
PAHs can be assessed by measuring the
concentration of metabolites in bile. The
relative concentration of individual PAH
metabolites of benzo(a) pyrene,
phenanthrene, and napthalene in bile were
determined using PHLC with fluorescence
detection. All fish greater than 200 mm in
total length collected at ITE sites were
examined for bile contaminants.
A.4.4.3.5 HISTOPATHOLOGY
Fish quality was measured as a composite
index of the incidence of diseases in
resident species. The presence of
diseased fish, as evidenced by a high
incidence of fin erosion, skin ulcers, and
cataracts, cause recreational and
commercial fishermen to avoid certain
waters. All fish exhibiting gross external
pathologies were examined internally to
determine the diseased state of the internal
organs. Liver, spleen, intestine, gill, and
eye tissues were examined microscopically
-for abnormalities.
A.4.4.4 HUMAN USE
Aesthetic appeal is an important factor in
the public's perception of the suitability of
an estuary for human use. The presence
of trash in the water and the clarity of the
water are primary visual methods by which
the public assesses the aesthetic quality of
an estuary. In addition, published
information concerning the level of toxic
contaminants in indicator species or
directly in the edible portions of commercial
and recreational fish are an important
factor in whether the public views an
estuarine water body as useable for human
activities.
A.4.4.4.1 MARINE DEBRIS
The kinds and amounts of floating and
submerged (i.e., collected in otter trawls
and oyster dredge) marine debris were
noted at all stations. Debris was
categorized as paper, plastics, metal,
glass, wood, and other wastes. Only
debris of anthropogenic origin was
included. Wastes that were comprised of
composited materials (e.g., dining room
chair that was metal, wood, and plastic)
were categorized based on their dominant
material.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.22
-------
A.4.4.4.2 WATER CLARITY
Water clarity was measured using a
LICOR™ LI-1000 containing a submersible
light sensor. Underwater readings at 1 m
increments were measured simultaneously
with ambient surface measurements. The
ratio of these two measurements provides
the proportion of surface light reaching the
ascribed depth. In order to standardize this
measure, measurements at 1 m depth
(available from all sites) were used to
assess the general water clarity throughout
the province.
A.4.4.4.3 TISSUE
CONTAMINANTS
Target species were collected at all sites
where fish were caught and shipped, on
dry ice, to the laboratory responsible for
tissue contaminant analysis. A review of
the fish collections showed that only 3
fish/shellfish groups (i.e., 6 species)
provided sufficient spatial coverage of the
province to be useful in a regional
assessment. These fish/shellfish were
Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus),
hardhead catfish (Arius felis), gafftopsail
catfish (Bagre marinus), the non-target blue
catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), brown shrimp
(Penaeus aztecus), and white shrimp
(Penaeus setiferus).
Where available, four to ten individuals of
each of these species was collected, and
prepared in the laboratory by removing the
fillet from each organism. The fillets were
composited, by species and site, into a
homogeneous slurry. The fillets included
skin for croakers, excluded skin for catfish,
and included only tail meat for shrimp to
represent the portions of these fish and
shellfish that are eaten. This slurry was
DDT and It Metabolites
o,p'-DDD
p,p'-DDD
o,p'-DDE
Trace Elements
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Chlorinated Pesticides
Other Than DDT
Aldrin
Alpha-Chlordane
Dieldrin
Endrin
Endosulfan
p,p'-DDE
o,p'-DDT
p,p'-DDT
Mercury
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
Heptachlor
Heplachlor epoxlde
Llndane (gamma-BHC)
Mirex
Toxaphene
20 PCB Congeners
PCB No. Compound Name
8 2,4'-dichloroblphenyl
18 2,2',5-trtchloroblphenyl
28 2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl
44 2,2',3;5'-tetrachtoroblphenyl
52 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobrphenyl
66 2,3',4,4Metrachloroblphenyl
77 3,3',4,4'-tetracnlorobiphenyl
101 2,2',4,5,5'-pentachlorobiphenyl
105 2,3,3',4,4-pentachlorobiphenyl
118 2,3',4,4',5-pentachloroblphenyl
126 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobIphenyl
128 2,2'.3,3',4,4'-hexachlorobiphenyl
138 a.a'.S^'.S'-hexachlorobiphenyl
153 2,2',3,4,4',5'-hexachloroblphenyl
170 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl
180 2,2',3,3',4,4',5-heptachlorobiphenyl
187 2,2',3,4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl
195 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,6-octachlorobiphenyl
206 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6-nonachlorob!phenyl
209 decachlorobiphenyl
Table A-12. Contaminents analyzed for inedible
fish and shellfish tissue.
appropriately digested, extracted, and
analyzed for the contaminants listed in
Table A-12,
In addition to these species, the remaining
target species were analyzed including skin
for the indicator testing sites. These
species included: sand seatrout (Cynoscion
arenarius), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus),
pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), and
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.23
-------
southern flounder (Paralichtys lethostigma).
No blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) tissue
was analyzed due to an insufficient
quantity of tissue.
A.4.5 DATA COLLECTION AND
SAMPLE TRACKING
Field crews were supplied with a personal
computer and appropriate software to
facilitate electronic recording of the data,
data transfer, and sample tracking. All
samples, shipments, and equipment were
labelled with bar-coded labels to facilitate
sample tracking and reduce transcription
errors. Field computers were equipped
with bar code readers to record sample
identification numbers. Receiving
laboratories were also equipped with bar
code readers to facilitate the receiving
process and to rapidly convey information
concerning lost or damaged shipments.
Copies of all field data entered into the
personal computer were stored on the hard
disk and copied to diskettes. Information
on the hard disk was transferred daily via
commercial carrier phone lines to the
Information Management Center at Gulf
Breeze, FL and backup diskettes and hard
copy were shipped weekly to the Center.
All transferred data were examined within
24-48 hours of collection by EMAP-E
personnel. Errors were brought to the
attention of the field crews for correction
and resampling, if required. All electronic
data were checked against paper forms for
verification. These resulted in a < 1 % error
rate in transcription. Most errors involved
the inaccurate use of taxon codes, an area
that will be stressed in 1992 training.
Further information on the details of the
near coastal data management systems
are presented in Summers et al. (1991)
and Rosen et al. (1990).
A.4.6 ANALYTICAL METHODS
FOR STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Three types of analyses were conducted
for this report: 1) direct evaluations of
measured indicators, 2) development of
modified or adjusted indicators (e.g., metal
contaminants in sediments), and 3)
development and use of indices based on
directly measured indicator values.
Additional analyses to partition the
observed response effects among
exposure indicators, indicator testing and
evaluation, and evaluation of sample
design will be completed for subsequent
reports and are not included in this
document. These analyses will be
documented in a Louisianian Province
Demonstration Report in late 1992.
A.4.6.1 CUMULATIVE
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
All ecological indicators collected during
the 1991 Louisianian Province
Demonstration were characterized using
cumulative distribution functions (CDFs).
These functions describe the full
distribution of these indicators in relation to
their areal extent within the province. All
observations are weighted based upon
surface area associated with each
sampling site. For large estuaries, the area
associated with each sampling unit was
equal to the hexagonal spaces created by
the grid (280 km2). For the large tidal river
class, the area associated with each
sampling segment is equal to the area of
the individual segment as determined by
planimetry. For the small estuary/small
tidal river class, the area associated with
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageA.24
-------
BOTTOM DISSOLVED OXYGEN
LOU1SIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991
100
90
80
70
-------
criterion of 4 ppm and the CDF shows that,
based on the 1991 sampling, 10.7% of the
estuarine bottoms waters had DO
concentrations below these levels.
Criteria values for the comparison of
degraded versus non-degraded areas are
often subjective at best. Indeed, many of
the criteria values used in this document,
though based on reasonable scientific
judgement, are debatable. However, the
CDF allows the user to select his/her own
criterion value and re-evaluate condition in
the proportion of area in the Louisianian
Province as degraded.
A.4.6.2 ADJUSTMENT TO
KNOWN COVARIATES
In several cases, variability in observed
indicators might reflect relationships to
known habitat or control variables.
Examples of these relationships are:
variation in estuarine biota resulting from
sampling throughout the salinity gradient;
variation in sediment toxicity tests with
different mortalities associated with the
controls; and variation in sediment metals
observed at a site resulting from variations
in the amount of natural crustal materials at
the site. In all these cases, the observed
data must be adjusted in order to construct
CDFs or to compare observations from
different locations.
A.4.6.2.1 ADJUSTMENT FOR
NATURAL HABITAT
GRADIENTS
Estuarine biota are largely controlled by
their environmental settings, both natural .
and anthropogenic. Natural gradients,
particularly in salinity and silt-clay content,
are common in estuaries. Many estuarine
organisms may represent overlapping
discrete distributions along these gradients.
Thus, normalization of ecological measures
over habitat gradients is a common tool
used to interpret information when such
normalization is necessary.
Many ecological variables are significantly
correlated with natural gradients (i.e.,
salinity, silt-clay content, water depth).
However, these correlations often explain
very little of the total variation observed in
that variable. Previous EMAP-E efforts in
the Virginian Province (Weisberg et al.
1992) suggested that benthic distributions
(e.g., number of species, percentage
community composition, biomass) needed
to be adjusted for salinity gradients
because these gradients explained greater
than 25% of the total variation in these
benthic indicators. Similar analyses using
the Louisianian Province data showed that
many benthic and fish indicators were .
significantly correlated to habitat gradients;
however none of these correlations
accounted for more than 15% of the total
variability. As a result, no adjustments for
habitat gradients have been made in any of
the analyses described in Section 3.
A.4.6.2.2 ADJUSTMENT FOR
EXPERIMENTAL CONTROLS
Estimates of the area in the Louisianian
province containing toxic sediments were
based on the results of toxicity tests using
the amphipod, Ampelisca abdita, and the
mysid, Mysidopsis bahia. For this
summary, a relative measure of toxicity
was created to facilitate comparisons
between sites over a series of bioassays.
This adjustment is necessary because
control mortalities vary among test series.
Sediments were determined to be toxic if:
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.26
-------
(1) the survival of the test organism in
test sediments was less than or equal to
80% of the survival observed in clean,
control sediments, and (2) the survival
rate in test and control sediments were
significantly different (p < 0.05). This
results in an adjustment to the observed
survival rates in test sediments that
accounts for variability due to differences in
the controls for individual bioassays.
These criteria are'consistent with those
established in USEPA/ACE (1991).
A.4.6.2.3 ADJUSTMENT FOR
NATURAL CRUSTAL
PROPERTIES
Metal
Ag
As
Cd
: Cr
Cu
Hg
Ni
Pb
Sb
Sn
Zn
Criterion
Value (ppm)
1
33
5
80
70
.15
30
35
2
3
120
Table A-13. Threshold criteria used to construct metal-
aluminum regressions. Exceedance represents potential
enrichment resulting In exclusion for regression analysis.
(Based on Long and Morgan 1990).
The concentrations of antimony, arsenic,
cadmium, chromium, copper, lead,
mercury, nickel, selenium, silver, and zinc
were examined to identify areas containing
anthropogenically enriched concentrations
of metals. The threshold value for the
metals was determined using an aluminum
normalization procedure patterned after
Windom et al. (1989) and Schropp et al.
(1990). For each metal, the data set was
reviewed and all values exceeding criteria
values (Table A-13) were removed. Log-
log regressions were established between
metal concentrations (remaining values)
and co-occurring aluminum concentrations.
Sites with metal concentrations above the
95% confidence interval around the
regression line were classifed as enriched.
Because of the subjectivity of selecting
sediment enrichment criteria, this
regressive approach was not the only
method used to assess metal enrichment.
Standard CDFs of observed concentrations
were constructed and the selected criteria
(Table A-13) were used to assess the
proportion of estuarine sediments that was
enriched.
A.4.6.3 BIOTIC INTEGRITY
INDICES
As previously described, response
indicators are characteristics of the
environment that provide quantitative
evidence of the status of ecological
resources and biological integrity of the site
from which they are drawn (Messer 1990).
Ecosystems with a high degree of biotic
integrity (i.e., healthy ecosystems) are
composed of balanced populations of
indigenous organisms with species
compositions, diversity, and functional
organization comparable to natural habitats
(Karr and Dudley 1981, Karr et al. 1986).
Response indicators could include
measurements of the kinds and
abundances of biota present, the health of
individual organisms, and the sustainability
of critical ecological processes. These
response indicators are the empirical data
collected by EMAP-E that are integrated
into indices to track the status and trends
in ecological integrity.
Two categories of response indicators were
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.27
-------
measured during the 1991 Louisianian
Province Demonstration: (1) benthic
response indicators, and (2) fish response
indicators. The general methodology for
the construction of the benthic and fish
indices are described in Weisberg et al.
(1992). The specifics of the Louisianian
Province indices will be detailed in an
indicator report to be published later this
year (Summers et al. 1992b).
A.4.7 PROCEDURES FOR THE
CALCULATION OF
CONFIDENCE INTERVALS
The approximate 95% confidence intervals
for the province were calculated based on
the assumption that the CDF estimates
were distributed normally. The confidence
intervals were obtained by adding and
subtracing 1.96 times the estimated
standard error (square root of the variance)
to the estimated CDF value.
For small estuarine systems, estimates of
CDFs and associated variances were
computed based on a random selection of
small systems within the province, with
replicate samples taken from a subset of
the selected systems (Cochran 1977). The
resulting CDF estimate is:
where,
PSx - CDF estimate for value x
"V
Since replicate samples were only obtained
at a subset of the sampled small estuarine
systems, the formula for the estimated
variance taken from Cochran (1977 eq.
m/ = number of samples at small system /
_ 1
' \
_ 1 if response is less than x
0 otherwise
AJ = area of small system /
n = number of small systems sampled
11.30) was modified to produce the
following estimate of the approximate mean
squared error (MSE) of the CDF estimate:
n
E
>w
rPT
ml
where,
N = number of small systems in province (156)
ff = n/N
number small systems with
replicate samples.
ro/
'.\2
the total area of small systems in
the province (7,112 krn2).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page A.28
-------
Estimates of CDFs for large tidal rivers,
were obtained by applying Horvitz-
Jhompson estimation (Cochran 1977) with
selection probabilities beins inversely
related to station area. Estimates of CDFs
were:
ft-
'Tx'
where,
PTX = Estimate CDF at value x
11 if response is less than x
"' \0 otherwise
inclusion probability for station /
n'" (1/area)
A = total area of sampled tidal rivers
n = number of stations sampled
To achieve" unbiased estimates of variance,
joint event probabilities it* must be non-
zero. The variance for the CDF estimates
was obtained by applying the Yates-Grundy
estimate of variance (Cochran 1977) and
using approximate joint event probabilities
(Stevens et al. 1991):
where,
_ probability that sites / and j are
V selected for sampling
and
probabilities being inversely related to
station area. Areas for all large estuary
base stations are to be 280 km2.
Formulae for the CDF estimates and
corresponding variances are analogous to
those presented for large tidal rivers.
Estimates of CDFs for a particular
geographic system within the province (eg.
the Florida system) were obtained by
applying the above procedures to the small
estuarine systems, tidal rivers, and large
estuaries sampled within that geographic
system. Estimates of the CDFs for the
entire province or for a geographic system
within the province were computed as
weighted averages of the relevant station
class CDFs:
where,
Wg = Relative area of small systems
Wf - Relative area of tidal rivers
WL = Relative area of large estuaries
In applying these procedures, variance
estimation was based on the assumption of
a fixed sample size within each resource
class. For large tidal rivers and large
estuaries, the sample size is a random
element depending on the position of the
sampling grid. This variance component
has not been incorporated into the
estimation of variances of CDFs.
jc// =
'
Estimates of CDFs for large systems were
also obtained by applying Horvitz-
Thompson estimation with selection
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageAr29
-------
-------
APPENDIX B
SUBPOPULATION ESTIMATION BASED ON
EMAP SAMPLING
One of the major advantages of the
probability-based sampling design used by
all elements of the Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment Program
(EMAP) is the ability to use the data to
address questions and/or objectives other
than those specified by the program.
Essentially, the only negative aspect
associated with these additional analyses
is an increase in the uncertainty associated
with the estimates due to a decrease in' the
sample size (i.e., not all the data is used).
This process is called "subpopulation
estimation". For EMAP-E, for example, the
process might involve using a specific
portion of the collected data to examine a
question concerning a subset of the
ecological community (i.e., only surface
measures), a subset of estuarine resources
(e.g., those in a particular state or EPA
Region), or a subset for an individual
estuary (e.g., Galveston Bay, Mississippi
Sound).
In this appendix, all of the major ecological
indicators described in Chapter 2 are
evaluated in terms of state specific
resources. The statistical methods used to
perform this level of evaluation are the
same as those described in Appendix A but
are adapted to the estuarine resources of
each estuarine class within the boundaries
of each of the five Gulf states.
B.1 BIOTIC CONDITION
INDICATORS
Biotic condition indicators are
characteristics of the environment that
provide quantitative evidence of the status
of ecological resources and biological
integrity at a sampling site. Biotic condition
measures examined here include
measurements of the kinds and
abundances of biota present and human
use parameters that describe human
perceptions of the condition of estuarine
systems. No state-level estimates have
been made for fish pathologies or tissue
contaminant levels. Subpopulation
estimation for these indicators based on
spatial reduction is not possible without
using complex statistical methods to fit
spatial response surfaces to estimate these
indicators where fish were not collected in
adequate numbers. ;
The following presentation does not
represent all the analyses completed at the
state-level for each indicator. For example,
a set of five individual state CDFs and pie
charts exists for each indicator but only
one CDF and pie chart for a selected state
will be shown in this appendix. However,
the proportion of estuarine resources in
each state associated with the criterion for
subnominal condition is shown in the bar
charts.
The uncertainty associated with the state
estimates is directly proportion to the total
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.1
-------
number of sites within the state boundaries.
This uncertainty ranges, in general, from a
low of about 5-7% for Louisiana (N=60) to
a high for Mississippi of approximately 20-
30%(N=18). The 95% confidence
intervals are shown for each CDF shown in
Appendix B and in tabular form for all
states at the end of the appendix.
B.1.1 BENTHIC INDEX
The construction of the benthic index is
described in Summers et al. (1992b) and
Engle and Summers (1992). The
cumulative distribution function for the
benthic index in Mississippi and Texas are
shown in Figures B-1 and B-2. About 45%
of the estuarine sediments in Mississippi
contained benthic communities similar to
those observed at known environmentally
degraded sites (Fig. B-3). The highest
proportion of degraded benthic
communities within the Gulf states in 1991
were found in Alabama, Texas, and
Mississippi (Fig. B-4).
LU
Q=
o:
tu
BEIsnUIC INDEX
MISSISSIPPI - 1991
BENTHIC INDEX
Figure B-1. Distribution of benthic index values in the estusrine resources of Mississippi (-) with 95% confidence intervals (-•).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.2
-------
BENTHIC INDEX
TEXAS - 1991
LU
O
OH
BENTHIC INDEX
Figure B-2. Distribution of benthlc Index values in the estuarlne resources of Texas (-) with 95% confidence intervals (-).
INDEX < 4 1
48,4*
BENTHIC INDEX
MISSISSIPPI - 1991
INDEX > S.I
INDEX 4.1-9.1
43.2C
Figure B-3. Proportion of Mississippi estuarine resources
with benthic index values in selected categories.
INDEX < 4.1
TX
Figure B-4. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarlne resources
with benthic index values < 4.1.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page 8.3
-------
B.1.2 NUMBER OF FISH SPECIES
Total number of fish species has been
used to characterize the environmental
condition of estuarine habitats. A single
10-min trawl, taken at each sampling in the
Louisianian Province, resulted in a
distribution of total number of species for
sites in Louisiana and Texas shown in
Figures B-5 and B-6. About 17% of the
estuarine waters in Louisiana produced one
or fewer species in a single 10-min trawl
(Fig. B-7). Ten to 17% of the estuarine
waters Louisiana and Mississippi were
characterized by these small numbers of
species (Fig. B-8).
NUMBER OF SPECIES PER TRAWL
LOUISIANA - 1991
100 H
90
80
70
60
SO
40
30
20
10-',
10
Hunb«r of Species
. Distribution of number of fish species per trawl In the estuarine resources of Loulslanan (-) with 95% confidence
Intervals (--).!
NUMBER OF SPECIES PER TRAWL
TEXAS - 1991
5 10
flunber of Species
Figure B-6. Distribution of number of fish species per trawl In the estuarine resources of Texas (-) with 95% confidence Intervals
B-
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page B.4
-------
NUMBER OF NEKTON
SPECIES IN RRST TRAWL
LOUISIANA - Ufll
>1 SPECIES
82.5*
1 SPECIES
.41
0 SPECIES
4.1*
Figure B-7. Proportion of Louisiana estuarine resources
with number of fish species per trawl In selected
categories.
NUMBER OF NEKTON
SPECIES ^ 1
so
FL
Figure B-8. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine resources
with number of fish species per trawl < 1.
B.1.3 MARINE DEBRIS
The presence of marine debris is one of
the obvious indicators of estuarine
"degradation" from a human use
perspective. Over 50% of the estuarine
sediments in Alabama contained marine
debris with about 25% of Florida and 38%
in texas estuarine sediments containing
marine debris (Fig. B-9).
B.1.4 WATER CLARITY
Another social or human use criterion for
good estuarine condition is water clarity.
Water clarity was measured using a
comparison of surface ambient light and
MARINE DEBRIS
100
90
BO
70
60
50
40-
30-
20
10H
0
50.5
37.5
25.1
FL AL MS LA
STATE
TX
Figure B-9. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine resources with
marine debris present in bottom sediments.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.5
-------
the amount of light reaching 1 meter in
depth. The cumulative distribution function
for water clarity in Texas is shown in Fig.
B-10 where proportional light reaching 1
meter ranged from 0-40%. A value of 10%
transmittance reaching a depth of one
meter was used as a measure of turbid
conditions. Most of the water of lower
transmissivity in Gulf estuaries is located in
Texas (53%) and Louisiana (31%) (Fig. B-
11).
FKR < 10%
100-
90-
80-
«c 70-
Ul
" 60-
| 50~
I +
-------
B.1.5 INTEGRATION OF
ESTUARINE CONDITIONS
A single index value has been developed
to summarize the overall condition of the
estuaries in the Louisianian Province by
combining the benthic index, marine debris
and water clarity, weighted equally. This
single value can also be used to
summarize the overall condition of
estuaries in each of the Gulf states. Figure
B-12a shows that 53% of the estuarine
resources in the portion of Florida in the
Louisianian Province were degraded with
regard to biotic communities or human
uses. However, if PAR is removed as a
human use variables, 39% of the estuarine
resources in Florida were degraded (Fig.
12b). Similar summarizations are shown in
Figures B-13 through B-16 for Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas,
respectively ranging from 25% degraded
estuarine area in Louisiana without using
water clarity (reduced from 46% .with PAR)
to 80% of the estuarine area in Alabama
degraded. Summarizations for Alabama
and Mississippi were not affected by the
removal of PAR < 0.1 as sites with these
values co-occurred in low benthic index
values (Fig. 13 and 14).
B.2 ABIOTIC CONDITION
INDICATORS
Abiotic condition indicators have historically
been the mainstay of state environmental
monitoring programs. The results for Gulf
states are shown for dissolved oxygen,
sediment toxicity, and sediment
contaminants.
ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
FLORIDA - 1891
Both
.11.ix
Inpo1r«d Ua«
28.11
Figure B-12a. Proportion of estuarine resources having
degraded biology, Impaired use, or both problems in Florida.
Djgrndid Btologf
13.91
Undigradad
81.01
Figure B-12b. Proportion of estuarine resources having
degraded biology, Impaired use, (debris only), or both in Florida.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.7
-------
ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
ALABAMA - 1991
Undegraded
20.
Digr«d»d BUIogy
Bo ill
91 !lx
Rguro B-13. Proportion of estuarine resources having
degraded biology, Impaired use, or both problems In
Alabama.
ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
LOUISIANA - 1991
Undsgradfld
54.1
Impairid U»i
29, B*
Degraded Biology
Hot ft
12.5«
Figure B-15a. Proportion of estuarine resources having
degraded biology, Impaired use, or both problems in Louisiana.
ECOIOGICAL CONDmONS
MISSISSIPPI - 1«91
lipnlrtd UM
3 7*
Dajrtdtd
41 E«
Undagrad«d
74.2«
Inpdirtd Ui«
9.7*
Dagrndcd Biology
11.21
Figure B-14. Proportion of estuarine resources having Figure B-15b. Proportion of estuarine resources having
degraded biology, Impaired use, or both problems In degraded biology, impaired use (debris only), or both In
Mississippi. Louisiana.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.8
-------
ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
TEXAS - 1S91
Undegraded
16.9ft
Inpoired Use
17 +x
Degraded Biology
25.1x
Figure B-16-a. Proportion of estuarine resources having
degraded biology, impaired use, or both problems in Texas.
B.2.1 DISSOLVED OXYGEN
(INSTANTANEOUS)
Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration is a
fundamental requirement of populations of
benthos, fish, shellfish, and other aquatic
biota. DO was measured in two ways:
instantaneous point measures at 1 -m depth
intervals during the sampling and deployed
continuous recordings of dissolved oxygen
for a 24-hour period.
The cumulative distribution function of
bottom dissolved oxygen in Mississippi
estuaries in shown in Figure B-17. All Gulf
states experienced DO conditions < 5 ppm
but Alabama, Mississippi and Texas
predominated with almost 31 -53% of their
resources bejpw this figure (Fig. B-18). All
dissolved concentrations < 2 ppm were
primarily observed in Alabama, Mississippi
and Louisiana (Fig. B-19).
Undegraded
17.3«
Both
20.4*
Impaired Use
17.0«
Degraded Biology
45.3*
Figure B-16-b. Proportion of estuarine resources having
degraded biology, impaired use (debris only), or both in Texas.
B.2.2 DISSOLVED OXYGEN
(CONTINUOUS)
Unlike the instantaneous measures, the
continuous dissolved oxygen concentration
measurements provide a complete picture
of the DO conditions at a site by including
day and night conditions as well as all tidal
conditions. Continuous bottom DO
concentrations in Louisiana ranged from 0-
12 ppm (Fig. B-2Q). Minimum dissolved
oxygen concentrations below 2 ppm were
most often observed in Alabama, Louisiana
and Florida (Fig. B-21).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page B.9
-------
100
90
BO
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
BOTTOM DISSOLVED OXYGEN
MISSISSIPPI - 1991
6 B 10 12
DISSOLVED .OXYGEN (ppm)
14
16
18
Figure B-17. Distribution of Instantaneous dissolved oxygen In bottom waters In the estuarine resources of Mississippi (-) with
95% confidence Intervals (-).
BOTTOM DISSOLVED
OXYGEN < 5 PPM
Ft AL MS LA TX
Figure B-18. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine
resources with Instantaneous dissolved oxygen
concentration < 5 ppm In bottom waters.
BOTTOM DISSOU/ED
OXYGEN < 2 PPM
50
TX
Figure B-19. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine
resources with Instantaneous dissolved oxygen
concentration < 5 ppm In bottom waters.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianiah Province -1991
Page B.10
-------
-t
u
01
Ul
-------
AMPELISCA- SEDIMENT TOXICITY
LOUISIANA - 1991
UJ
tu
100
90
80
80
50
40
3D
20
10
0-
10 20 50 40 SO 60 70
* Survival of Amps Ilaco
10D
110
Figure B-22. Distribution of toxlclty of estuarine sediments In Louisiana to amphlpods (-) with 95% confidence Intervals (--).
AMPEUSCA SEDIMEISTT TOXICITY
< 80% SURWAL
so
FL
Figure B-23. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine
sediments with toxlclty to amphlpods resulting In < 80%
survival.
B.2.4 ALKANESAND
ISOPRENOIDS
Alkanes and isoprenoids are contaminants
associated primarily with the petroleum
industry. The continuous distribution
function for total alkanes and isoprenoids
for Texas ranges from 0-9000 ppb/g dwt
(Fig. B-24). Total alkane concentrations
exceeding 7000 ppb were located primarily
in Louisiana (18% of estuarine sediments)
and Texas (11% of sedirnents)(Fig. B-25).
B.2.5 POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC
HYDROCARBONS
Forty three individual polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed from
the collected Louisianian Province
sediments. The distribution of total c3-
fluorene is shown in Fig. B-26 ranges from
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
PageB.12
-------
TOTAL ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
TEXAS - 1991
o
on
100-
90-
80-
70-
60-
50-
+0
30 •)
20
10
2345678
TOTAL ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS (ppb x 1000}
10
Figure B-24. Distribution of total aliphatic hydrocarbons In estuarlne sediments of Texas (•) with 95% confidence Intervals (--).
TOT
50-
40-
UJ
5 30-
I—
UJ
2 20-
a-
10-
o-
AL ALKANES > 7000 ppb
13.9
H 11-°
ll
FL AL MS LA TX
STATE
Figure B-25. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarlne
sediments with total alkanes concentrations > 7000 ppb.
0.1-34.7 ppb/g dwt in Louisiana. Total
PAH concentrations exceeding 4000 ppb
(the concentration resulting in ecological
effects 10% of the time) were found in
sediments of small estuaries in Florida
(5%), Louisiana (1%) and Texas (1%) (Fig.
B-27).
B.2.6 POLYCYCLIC
CHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
Twenty polycyclic chlorinated biphenyl
(PCB) congeners were analyzed from the
Louisianian Province sediments.
Concentrations of total PCBs in Florida
ranged from 14 ppb to 128 ppb (Fig. B-28).
Given that the criterion for low-level
ecological effects are 400 ppm for total
PCBs, no PCB concentrations exceeded
these criteria in any of the Gulf states.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.13
-------
IU
I—
as
tu
CJ
a:
0.
Figure B-26.
C3-FLUORENE
100-
90-
80-
70-
60-
50-
40-
30-
20-
10-
0-
LOUISIANA - 1991
$
ff *•*
I
I
*
[
r i i i i i i i
t> 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
C3-FLUORENE (ppb)
Distribution of cS-fluorene In estuarine sediments of Louisiana (-) with 95% confidence Intervals (--).
TOTAL PAHs > 4000 ppb
SO
40
30
FL
Figure B-27. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine
•edlmonU with total PAH > 4000 ppb (based on 43 PAHs).
B.2.7 TRIBUTYLTIN
Tributyltin (TBT), a compound found in
antifouling paints until recently, was an
effective and widespread means of
protecting recreational and commercial
craft from fouling organisms- The
continuous distribution function of TBT in
Texas in shown in Fig. B-29 ranging from 0
to 36 ppb. Most of the high levels of TBT
(> 5 ppb) were seen in Texas estuaries
(18%) while some sediments in Florida
(9%) and Louisiana (2%) contained high
levels of TBT (Fig. B-30). Using 1 ppb
TBT as an indicator of potential ecological
effects results in most of the TE3T being
found in the estuarine sediments of Texas
(41%) and Florida (29%)(Fig. B-31).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisiaman Province -1991
PageB.14
-------
TOTAL PCBs
FLORIDA - 1991
100-
90-
80-
-c 70'
UJ
SE 60-
£ 50-
Ul
DC 40-
UJ
"• 30-
20-
10-
0-
f
f
'' >
0 10 20 30 40 SO 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130
TOTAL PCBa { ppb)
Figure B-28. Distribution of total PCBs in estuarine sediments of Florida (-) with 95% confidence intervals (--).
100-
90-
80-
70-
| 60-
fe SO-
UJ
S,+»-
DL
30-
20-
10-
o-
TEXAS - 1991
'/"/"""''
_/
' • . .
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
TRIBUTYLTIN (ppb)
Figure B-29. Distribution of trlbutyltln in estuarine sediments of Texas (-) with 95% confidence Intervals (--).
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B. 15
-------
TRIBUTYL™ > 5 ppb
50
FL AL MS LA TX
Figure B-30. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine
tedlmente with TBT > 5 ppb.
7RIBLTTYLT1N > 1 ppb
50
FL AL US LA TX
STATE
B.2.8 PESTICIDES
Chlorinated herbicides and pesticides
constitute a major portion of nonpoint
source runoff from agricultural fields,
suburban lawns, and golf courses. Twenty-
four pesticides, including DDT and its
derivatives, were analyzed from
Louisianian Province sediments. The
cumulative distribution function for dieldrin
in Mississippi is shown in Figure B-32.
None of the pesticides exceeded the 50%
Long and Morgan criteria; however, several
pesticides exceeded the 10% criteria.
Dieldrin was found exceeding 0.02 ppb
primarily in the estuarine sediments of
Alabama (Fig; B-33).
B.2.9 HEAVY METALS
Fifteen heavy metals were analyzed for the
sediments collected in 1991. Examining
the metal concentrations based on Long
and Morgan criteria, several heavy metals
exceeded the 10% criteria. The cumulative
distribution function of mercury in Florida
sediments is shown in Figure B-34. The
proportion of estuarine sediments in each
of the Gulf states that exceeded 1 ppm
mercury (50% criterion) is shown in Figure
B-35. The percentage of estuarine area in
each state that exceeded the 10% Long
and Morgan criteria for each analyzed
metal are shown in Figures B-36 to B-40.
Rgure B-31. Proportion of Gulf states estuarine
•odhnonte with TBT > 1 ppb.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.16
-------
DIELDRIN
MISSISSIPPI - 1991
o
0.
110-1
100
90
BO
70
50
40
30
20
10
0
0.00
0.01
0.02 0.03
DIELDRIN (ppb)
0.04
0.05
Figure B-32. Distribution of dieldrin in estuarine sediments of Mississippi (-) with 95% confidence intervals (--).
DIELDRIN > .02 ppb
US Ik TX
STATE
B.3 CONFIDENCE INTERVALS
FOR STATE-LEVEL ESTIMATES
Ninety-five percent confidence intervals
(95%CI) were calculated for all parameters
described in this section. The methods for
these calculations were described in
Appendix A. Table B-1 provides these
intervals for the major indicators for the
proportion of the five Gulf States assessed
as degraded for each parameter.
Figure B-33. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine
sediments with dieldrin > 0.02 ppb.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.17
-------
MERCURY
TEXAS - 19fl1
UJ
o
120
110-
100
90
60
70
60
50
40-
30-
20-
0-
0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75
1.00 1.Z5 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50
MERCURY (ppm)
Figure B-34. Distribution of mercury In estuarine sediments of Texas (-) with 95% confidence Intervals (•-).
MERCURY > .15 ppm
100
90
SO-
70-
SO-
30-
ZO-
21,9 22.5
15.4
TX
Iguto B-35. Proportion of Gulf states' estuarine
sediments with mercury > 0.15 ppb.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.18
-------
100-
; 90-
: 80-
•* 70-
UJ ' "
IK
; -1 60-
5 50-
o
£ 40-
> Ou .
30-
; 20-
10-
b'-
% Metals > L&M 10% Values
FLORIDA -1991
«-'-'•*';"' . " -
•* '" ' ' " ' ,'•' .. ,.( . . •
15.4
•••
,0.8 , 0,3 H
Ag As : Cd Cr Cu Pb Hg Ni Sb Sn Zn
METAL
Figure B-36. Proportion of Florida's cstuarlne sediments with heavy metals concentrations In excess of Long and Morgan 10%
criteria.
% Metals > L&M 10% Values
ALABAMA - 1991
Aa Cd Cr Cu Pb Hg Ni Sb Sn Zn
Figure B-37. Proportion of Alabama's estuarlne sediments with heavy metals concentrations In excess of Long and Morgan
10% criteria.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.I9
-------
% Metals > L&M 10% Values
MISSISSIPPI - 1991
100-
90-
80-
£ 70-
ce
5 50
£ -lo-
a.
30-
20
HH
0
10.3
10.3 10.3
1.7
Ag As Cd Cr Cu Pb Hg NI Sb Sn Zn
METAL
Figure B-38. Proportion oi Mississippi's eatuarlnc sediments with heavy metals concentrations In excess of Long and Morgan
10% criteria.
% Metals > L&M 10% Values
LOUISIANA - 1991
100-
90-
80-
•*= 70-
UJ '"
ce
•< 60-
S so-
S 40-
a.
30-
20-
10-
21.9
• 12.2
• °-1 1 1 °'1 i™ ^
0.
. — —
Ag Aa Cd Cr Cu Pb Hg NI Sb Sn Zn
METAL
Figure B-39. Proportion of Louisiana's estuarlne sediments with heavy metals concentrations In excess of Long and Morgan
10% criteria.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.20
-------
•<
Iff
ee
f
1—
as
UJ
O
OS
UJ
o.
% MetaJs > L&M 10% Values
TEXAS - 1991
100-
90-
80-
70-
60-
50-
40-
30-
20-
10-
#
22.5
•| 15.4
0.6 0.« • 1 11 Z.O
^H ^H ^H ^^.
Ag As Cd Cr Cu Pb Hg Ni Sb Sn Zn
METAL
Figure B-40. Proportion of Texas's estuarlne sediments with heavy metals concentrations In excess of Long and Morgan 10%
criteria.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page B.21
-------
Parameter
a
Estuarino Condition
Blotlc Condition
Benthos
Index
Abundance < 10
# Species < 2
# Species < 5 %
Fish
Abundance < 5
Abundance < 10
# Species < 1
# Species < 2
Fish Pathology
Fish Contaminants1
Shrimp
All > FDA Limits
Croaker
All > FDA Limits
Marine Cattish
Hg > FDA Limits
Others > FDA Limits
Bottom DO2 < 2 ppm
Bottom DO2 < S ppm
Minimum DO < 2 ppm
Sediment Toxicity
1 Percentage based on sample
Florida
25
63
18(18)
17(18)
16(19)
18(18)
6(9)
11(11)
5(9)
6(9)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
KD
13(11)
16(19)
1(1)
Alabama
20
80
80(18)
37(27)
17(22)
72(23)
4(6)
14(18)
0(0)
3(6)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
25(25)
53(27)
39(29)
23(23)
Mississippi
15
48
46(32)
38(30)
2(5)
48(32)
2(5)
43(32)
0(0)
10(20)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(20)
35(30)
10(20)
0(0)
Louisiana
70
46
16(10)
1(0)
9(9)
32(14)
20(12)
36(14)
4(5)
17(12)
<1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
8(8)
11(9)
15(10)
11(8)
Texas
30
83
68(29)
. 35(28)
12(22)
47(28)
10(9)
21(23)
0(0)
0(0)
1(0)
0(0)
0(0)
KD
0(0)
0(0)
31(25)
0(0)
KD
size rather than estuarine area
2 Instantaneous dissolved oxygen measurements
Table B-1. 95% confidence Intervale associated with the proportion of the individual Gulf states experiencing the listed
parameters.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Loulslanlan Province -1991
Page B.22
-------
Parameter
N
Abiotic Condition
Marine Debris3
Water Clarity
PAR < 10%
' PAR < 25%
Silt-Clay Content
<20%
' >'80%
Alkanes
' Total > 7000 ppb
PAHs
Total > 4000 ppb '
PCBs
Total > 200 ppb
Pesticides
Chlordane > .5 ppb
Dieldrin > .02 ppb
Endrin > .02 PPB
DDT> 1 ppb
DDE > 2 ppb
ODD > 2 ppb
Metals
Ag > 1 ppm
As > 33 ppm
Cd > 5 ppm
Cr > 80 ppm
Cu > 70 ppm
Hg > .15 ppm
Ni > 30 ppm
Pb > 35 ppm
Sb > 2 ppm
Sn > 3 ppm
Zn > 120 ppm
Tributyltin
TBT > 1 ppb
TBT > 5 ppb
3 Estimate based on
Florida
25
25
11(14)
39(38)
19(36)
19(10)
KD
5(4)
0(0)
1(1)
2(1)
1(0)
0(0)
1(1)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(0)
0(0)
15(12)
0(0)
.0(0) v
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
30(37)
9(9)
presence-absence so
Alabama
20
50
1(1)
23(23)
4(6)
65(26)
0(0)
' 0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
49(20)
0(0)
0(0)
69(22)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
85(1)
0(0)
1(1)
84(0)
0(0)....,
0(0)
KD
1(1)
0(0)
0(0)
95% confidence
Mississippi
15;
7 '
0(0)
: 24(28)
10(20)
-88(21)
0(6)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
21(25)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
10(20)
0(0)
10(20)
10(20)
.v 0(0) ;
0(0)
0(0)
2(2)
0(0)
0(0)
Louisiana
70
15
31(13)
'62(14)
0(0)
'76(13)
14(10)
1(0)
0(0)
13(12)
22(12)
2(2)
(2)
0(0)
:- KD
0(0)
- 0(0)
••• . 0(0)
8(7)
0(0)
22(13)
12(10)
_ 0(0): "
0(1)
3(5)
10(9)
3(3)
1(1)
Texas
30
37
53(28) '
96(5)
' 0(0)
46(30)
11(21)
1(0)
0(0)
1(1)
15(22)
0(0) •-••
-•• 0(0)
1(1)
0(0)
1
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
1(1)
0(0)
23(28)
15(22) '
1(0)
0(0) -
5(2)
2(1)
41(28)
18(15)
intervals are not calculated.
Table B--\.(cont.) 95% confidence Intervals associated with the proportion of the individual Gulf states experiencing
the listed parameters.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page B.23
-------
-------
APPENDIX C
RISK ASSESSMENT RELATING TO CONTAMINANTS
IN FISH AND SHELLFISH
In the text of this report, measured
contaminant concentrations in fish and
shellfish tissues were compared to FDA
action levels. Only mercury in marine
catfish exceeded the FDA limits and for
only 1% of the fish sampled. Another
procedure to assess contaminant levels in
edible fish tissue is to compare measured
values with EPA's current human health
risk assessment criteria (Stober 1992).
These criteria have been determined from
back calculations from water quality criteria
and bioconcentration factors with the
assumption of a specific dietary regime. In
general, the acceptable tissue
concentration is calculated corresponding
to an incremental risk factor of 10"6;
however in Tables C-1 through C-3, tissue
concentrations associated with other
incremental risk factors (10~5 and 10 ) are
also shown.
Potential upper-bound human cancer risk
from consumption of fish or shellfish was
estimated using fillet samples for
contaminants for which cancer potency
factors are available. Fillets were from
commercial and recreational species. The
risk estimates were performed using
standard EPA risk assessment procedures
and assumed lifetime exposure. A fish or
shellfish consumption rate of 6.5 g/day was
used.
The risks presented herein represent a
regional screening assessment and not a
detailed local assessment of risks to
specific populations. Such detailed
assessments would consider the number of
people exposed and incorporate local
consumption rates and patterns.
Furthermore, a detailed assessment would
require a greater number of tissue samples
per site than collected for EMAP. The
highest estimated lifetime incremental risk
levels for shrimp are associated with
arsenic and dieldrin. The incremental risk
exceeded 10"6 for arsenic and dieldrin in
33% and 14% of shrimp examined,
respectively (Table C-2). The third highest
incremental risk was associated with
mercury where 13% of shrimp examined
has estimated incremental risks greater
than 10 for a 6.5 g/day consumption rate.
Heptachlor epoxide exceeded 10"6
incremental risk for 11 % of shrimp. A small
portion of shrimp (3%) exceeded the 10~6
incremental risk level for total PCBs.
The highest estimated lifetime incremental
risk levels for Atlantic croaker are
associated with dieldrin and aldrin. The
incremental risk exceeded 10~6 for dieldrin
and aldrin in 17% and 10% of croaker
examined, respectively (Table C-2). The
third highest incremental risk was
associated with arsenic, heptachlor
epoxide, total PCBs and toxaphene where
9% of croaker examined has estimated
incremental risks greater than 10 for a
6.5 g/day consumption rate. Mercury
exceeded 10"6 incremental risk for 7% of
croakers. A small oortion of croakers (2%)
exceeded the 10 incremental risk levels
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page C.1
-------
for heptachlor and hexachlorobenzene.
The highest estimated lifetime incremental
risk levels for marine catfish are associated
with arsenic, dieldrin and aldrin. The.
incremental risk exceeded 10~5 for arsenic
and toxaphene in 2% and 6% of croaker
examined, respectively (Table C-3). The
third highest incremental risk was
associated with dieldrin, aldrin, and
heptachlor epoxide where 12-15% of
catfish examined has estimated
incremental risks greater than 10~6 for a
6.5 g/day consumption rate. Mercury
exceeded 10"6 incremental risk for 8% of
catfish. A small portion of catfish (1-5%)
exceeded the 10"6 incremental risk levels
for ODD, DDT, endosulfan, and heptachlor.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page C.2
-------
Contaminant Observed
Pesticides (ng/gwwt)
ODD
DDE
DDT
Aldrin
Chlordane
Dieldrin
Endosulfan
Endrin
Heptachlor
Heptachlor Epoxide
Hexachlorobenzene
Lindane
Mirex
Toxaphene
Trans-Nonachlor
PCBs (ng/g wwt)
Total
Heavy Metals (ug/g wwt)
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Tin
Zinc
1 Criteria were selected from
on water quality criteria and
Range
0-4.9
0-1.7
0-74.0
0-1.6
0-1.9
0-0.0
0-0.0
0-12.8
0-0.0
0-3.9
0-2.5
0-0.0
0-43.5
0-0.0
0-1.3
0-30.3
0-78.5
0-3.9
0-0.3
0-6.1
0-9.6
0-0.3
0-0.3
0-9.0
0-0.3
0-0.3
0-1,1
1-18.8
Incremental
10"6
45
32
32
<1
8
<1
<1
3230
2
1
7
2
NA
10
NA
25
NA
<1
11
54
NA
NA
<1
215
5
NA
NA
NA
Risk1
10'5
449
316
316
6 :
83
7
5
*
24
12
67
17
NA
98
NA
250
NA
6
108
538
NA :
NA
1
2154
54
NA ;
NA
NA
EPA established limits for contaminants (Stobt
bioconcentration
2 5% observed at mirex concentrations > 10
3 8% observed at aluminum
factors
ppb
1C'4
4490
3160
3160 '
65
830
67
54
*
240
120
673
170
NA
980
NA
2500
NA
62
1077
5380
NA
NA
10
**
540
NA
NA
NA
Proportion
Exceeding Risk
Criterion
10'6
0%
0%
. 5%
14%
0%
8%
0%
0%
0%
11%
0%
0%
u2
,0%
u
3%
U3
33%
0%
0%
U
U
13%
0%
0%
U
U
u
10'5
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u
0%
u
0%
u
0%
0%
0%
u
u
0%
0%
0%
u
u
u
1C'4
0%
0%
0%
0%
, 0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
u
0%
u
0%
u
0%
0%
0%
u
u
0%
0%
0%
u
u
u
3r 1992) for human health risk for carcinogens based
concentrations > 50 ppb
Table C-1. Overview of the contaminant levels observed In edible flesh of brown shrimp and white shrimp (N=370) compared
to EPA human health risk criteria. NA=Not Available; U=Unknown as no criterion level is available.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page C.3
-------
Contaminant Observed
Range
10'6
Pesticides (ng/gwwt)
ODD 0-16.0 45
DDE 0-3.5 32
DDT 0-24.2 32
Aldrin 0-3.2 , <1
Chlordane 0-8.2 8
Dioldrin 0-26.2 <1
Endosulfan 0-1.7 <1
Endrin 0-22.5 3230
Hoptachlor 0-5.7 2
Heptechlor Epoxide 0-16.7 1
Hexachlorobsnzene 0-77'A 7
Undane 0-0.0 2
Mirex 0-88.5 NA
Toxaphene 0-1800 10
Trans-Nonachlor 0-1.3 NA
PCBs (ng/g wwt)
Total 0-62.5 25
Heavy Metals (ug/g wv;t)
Aluminum 0-6.9 NA
Arsenic 0-2.1 <1
Cadmium 0-0.1 11
Chromium 0-0.3 54
Copper 0-5.3 NA
Lead 0-0.3 NA
Mercury . 0-0.4 <1
Nickel 0-0.3 215
Selenium 0-0.3 5
Silver 0-1.8 NA
Tin " 0-0.7 NA
Zinc 1-11.8 NA
Incremental
Risk1
449
316
316
6
83
7
5
*
24
12
67
17
NA
98
NA
250
NA
6
108
538
NA
NA
1
2154
54
NA
NA
NA
10-*
4490
3160
3160
65
830
67
54
*
240
120
673
170
NA
980
NA
2500
NA
62
1077
5380
NA
NA
10
**
540
NA
NA
NA
10'6
0%
0%
o%
10%
2%
17%
5%
0%
3%
9%
2%
0%
U2
9%
U
9%
U
9%
0%
0%
U
U
7%
0%
0%
U
U
U
Proportion
Exceeding
Criterion
10"5
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
2%
0%
0%
0%
2%
2%
0%
U
9%
U
0%
U
0%
0%
0%
U
U
0%
0%
0%
U
U
U
10-'
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
U
5%
U
0%
U
0%
0%
0%
U
U
0%
0%
0%
U
U
U
1 Criteria were selected from EPA established limits for contaminants (Stober 1992) for human health risk for carcinogens based
on water quality criteria and bioconcentration factors
2 10% observed at mlrex concentrations > 10 ppb
Table C-2. Overview of the contaminant levels observed In edible flesh of Atlantic croaker (N=58Ct) compared to EPA human
health risk criteria. NA = Not Available; U = Unknown as no criterion level Is available.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province -1991
Page C.4
-------
Contaminant ' Observed
Range
Pesticides (ng/gwwt)
ODD 0-207.4
DDE 0-12.2
DDT 0-39.4
Aldrin 0-2.7
Chlordane 0-6.1
Dieldrin 0-24.4
Endosulfan 0-1.8
Endrin 0-10.1
Heptachlor 0-5.7
Heptachlor Epoxide 0-5.7
Hexachlorobenzene 0-4.0
Lindane 0-4.1
Mirex 0-30.7
Toxaphene 0-1400
Trans-Nonachlor 0-4.3
PCBs (ng/g wwt)
Total 0-67.9
Heavy Metals (ug/g wwt)
Aluminum 0-105.1
Arsenic , 0-10.1
Cadmium 0-0.4
Chromium 0-0.8
Copper 0-10.3
Lead 0-0.4
Mercury 0-1.2
Nickel , 0-0.7
Selenium 0-0.4
Silver 0-0.3
Tin 0-1.2
Zinc 1-234.0
Incremental
Risk1
10'6 10'5
45
32
32
3230
2
1
7
2
NA
10
NA
25
NA
<1
11
54
NA
NA
<1
215
5
NA
NA
NA
449
316
316
6
83
7
5
*
24
12
67
17
NA
98
NA
250
NA
6
108
538
NA
NA
1
2154
54
NA
NA
NA
10"4
4490
3160
3160
65
830
67
54
*
240
120
673
170
NA
980
NA
2500
NA
62
1077
5380
NA
NA
10
**
540
NA
NA
NA
10'6
2%
0%
1%
15%
0%
16%
5%
0%
3%
12%
0%
0%
U2
6%
U3
17%
U4
23%
0%
0%
U
U
8%
0%
0%
U
U
U
Proportion
Exceeding
Criterion
10'5
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
U
6%
U
0%
U
2%
0%
0%
U
U
1%
0%
:0%
U
U
U
ID"4
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
,0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
U
1%
U
0%
U
0%
0%
0%
U
U
0%
0%
0%
U
U
U
1 Criteria were selected from EPA established limits for contaminants (Stober 1992) for human health risk for carcinogens based
on water quality criteria and bioconcentration factors
2 8% observed at mirex concentrations > 10 ppb
3 9% observed at trans-nonachlor concentrations > 1 ppb
4 1% observed at aluminum concentrations > 50 ppm
Table C-3. Overview of the contaminant levels observed in edible flesh of catfish (N=1130) compared Jo EPA human health risk
criteria. NA = Not Available; U = Unknown as no criterion level Is available.
Statistical Summary, EMAP-E Louisianian Province - 1991
Page C.5
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