The role of traditional and novel toxicity test methods in assessing stormwater and sediment contamination

Traditional effluent and ambient water column toxicity tests were used widely for evaluating the contamination of stormwaters and sediments. These assays consist of a routine bioassay exposure design of 1 to 9 days using freshwater and marine/estuarine species known to be sensitive to a wide range of toxicants. While effluent toxicity may be indicative of sediment or stormwater toxicity in the receiving system, the exposure is different, and therefore toxicity cannot be readily predicted. Whole effluent toxicity test methods were used effectively and also misused in evaluations of whole sediments, pore (interstitial) water, elutriates (extracts) and stormwaters.