Overview of NJDEP s Use of Fish and Wildlife Tissue Residues in Regulatory & Advisory Programs

Transcription

1 Overview of NJDEP s Use of Fish and Wildlife Tissue Residues in Regulatory & Advisory Programs Gary A. Buchanan, Ph.D., and Division of Science, Research & Technology Nancy Hamill, Site Remediation Program NJ Department of Environmental Protection October 8, 2008 HDC-SETAC Workshop

2 Outline Perspective Programs using Tissue Residues Regulatory/Advisory Basis (brief) Site Remediation Fish Advisories Summary

3 Perspective Important Tool Categories Routine Special/Custom Projects Research

4 NJDEP Programs Water Monitoring & Standards Office of Dredging & Sediment Technology Office of Natural Resource Restoration Fish & Wildlife Site Remediation Science, Research & Technology Other

5 Regulatory/Advisory Basis Site Remediation: N.J.A.C. 7:26E-3.11 and 4.7 Office of Dredging & Sediment Technology: Several laws (e.g., Waterfront Development Law; NJ Water Pollution Control Act) USEPA/USACE Guidance Documents Water Monitoring & Standards: Surface Water Quality Standards - N.J.A.C. 7:9B Clean Water Act Science, Research & Technology: Protection of Ecological & Human Health (advisory)

6 Water Monitoring & Standards Wildlife Criteria Developed by NJDEP/DSRT, EPA & USFWS Mercury, DDX, and PCBs Proposed Implementation Issues Water column versus tissue basis Used by Site Remediation as screening criteria

7 Water Quality Standards (cont.) EPA s Recommended Fish Tissue Criterion for Methylmercury O.3 µg/g Options under Consideration Site-Specific or Regional BAFs? Preliminary NJ data ± 10x EPA National Draft BAFs for Mercury Shellfish Tissue Residues Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring

8 Office of Dredging & Sediment Technology Open Water Disposal: USEPA/USACE Inland Testing Manual Tier Testing Upland Disposal: Animal and plant uptake bioassays may be required habitat development Beneficial reuse (disposal discouraged) Special Projects (Permit Support)

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10 Office of Natural Resource Injury Assessment Restoration Contaminant concentrations in fish, shellfish Compare to screening/benchmark values Lost recreational use & injury to resources Restoration Monitoring Pre- and Post-restoration tissue measurements (confirmation) Research

11 Division of Fish & Wildlife Office of Fish & Wildlife Health Forensics Research Contaminants in NJ River Otters (liver) Mercury, PCBs, OC pesticides, PBDEs Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries & DSRT Hatchery & Wild Trout

12 Site Remediation

13 Site Remediation Program In accordance with N.J.A.C.7:26E-3.11 and 4.7, fish and wildlife tissue data are collected during the Remedial Investigation of environmentally sensitive areas associated with hazardous sites when bioaccumulative and/or persistent biomagnifying toxins (PBTs) are site-related contaminants of concern. Tissue data are used for: Ecological Risk Assessment Preliminary Remediation Goals Post-Remedial Monitoring

14 Site Remediation (cont.) 1. Ecological Risk Assessment a. Food-Chain Exposure Modeling Conducted for any contaminant exceeding ecological benchmarks for soil, sediment, and/or surface water, or for any contaminant for which a benchmark does not exist and where there is potential for risk based on high concentrations and/or possible ecotoxicity.

15 Site Remediation (cont.) Collect Tissue and Multimedia data for use in food chain models Hazard Quotient (HQ) = ratio of calculated contaminant dose to receptor to toxicity reference dose, e.g., No or Lowest Observed Adverse Effects Levels (NOAELs/LOAELs). HQ >1 for any receptor indicates need for remedial action and determination of PRGs Actual tissue data reduces uncertainty inherent in modeling through multiple trophic levels, e.g., soil earthworm small mammal predator

16 Site Remediation (cont.) b. Evaluation of Direct Effects of Tissue Contaminant Residues Used in the weight of evidence approach to assess contaminant bioavailability and the potential for adverse ecological effects Tissue concentrations are compared to tissue residue effects-based scientific literature e.g., whole body fish tissue data compared to: Jarvinen, A.W. and G.T. Ankley Linkage of effects to tissue residues: development of a comprehensive database for aquatic organisms exposed to inorganic and organic chemicals. Pensacola, FL. SETAC.

17 Site Remediation (cont.) 2. Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs) a. Dose to receptor, mg/kg BW-day = Concentration ( C ) prey tissue X Ingestion Rate (IR) Body Weight (BW) receptor b. Use tissue and media data to calculate site-specific soil/sediment - to - biota accumulation factor (BSAF): BSAF = C prey tissue / C soil/sediment; C prey tissue = C soil/sediment X BSAF

18 Site Remediation (cont.) c. Set dose equal to NOAEL/LOAEL, substitute C sediment X BSAF for C prey tissue, rearrange calculation, and solve for safe soil/sediment concentration, i.e., PRG: d. PRG soil/sediment = Safe Sediment/Soil Concentration = NOAEL X BW receptor BSAF X IR

19 Site Remediation (cont.) 3. Post-Remedial Monitoring Objectives of tissue data collection: Evaluate increase/ reduction of biological contaminant uptake in target species that have recolonized remediated areas Identify increasing/decreasing trends over time in tissue contaminant concentration e.g., Kin-Buc Landfill, Edison NJ

20 Division of Science, Research & Technology Research Fish Consumption Advisories Technical Support other DEP programs

21 Fish Consumption Advisories

22 Fish Consumption Advisories Routine Fish Monitoring Program for Toxics in Fish NJDEP DSRT Toxics in Biota Committee NJDEP NJ Department of Health & Senior Services NJ Department of Agriculture Fish, Crab, Lobster tissue levels Advisory Triggers

23 Fish Consumption Advisories Advisory Triggers Basis Non-cancer and Cancer Risks EPA Guidance: Lifetime cancer risk of 10-4 Balance Risk vs. Benefits of Fish Consumption

24 PCBs in Commercial Fish, NJ Recreational Fish & Food Items Raritan Bay (NYSDEC) Do Not Eat (High Risk Pop.) Upper Limit for 1 meal per week (HR Pop) Flounde r Cod Pollock Tuna white Ha libut Re d Snapper Ca tfish Salmon S. Flounde r W. Flounder Weakfish Striped Bass American Eel Bluefish Beef steak Eggs (fried) Pork roast Ra is ins Chicken (fried) McBride et al., 2005 NJDEP, FDA, 2000 PCBs ( n g /g)

25 Mercury Fish Consumption Advisories For high-risk individuals, advisories are issued based upon the following tissue concentrations: > 0.54 µg/g (ppm) - Do not eat 0.19 to 0.54 µg/g (ppm) - 1 meal/month 0.08 to 0.18 µg/g (ppm) - 1 meal/week 0.07 µg/g (ppm) - Unlimited consumption

26 Average Mercury in NJ Fish Total n = 2373 Do Not Eat (High Risk Population) 1 meal per week (High Risk Population) Pumpkinseed Sunfish Striped Bass White Perch Northern Pike Hybrid striped bass White Catfish Channel catfish Bluefish (<24") American eel Black Crappie Redbreast Sunfish "Sunfish" Lobster (muscle) Weakfish Blue Crab (muscle) Porgy/Scup Atlantic Croaker Carp Bluegill Brown bullhead Rainbow Trout Lobster (hepatopancreas) Menhaden Brown trout Summer Flounder Blue Crab (hepatopancreas) Species Smallmouth bass Yellow Perch Lake Trout Yellow bullhead Rock Bass Bluefish (>24") Largemouth bass Walleye Chain pickerel Hg (ug/g, wet wt)

27 PCB Concentrations in Tissue (ppb) Triggering Fish Advisories based on Cancer Risk Consumption Frequency Unlimited (based on daily) General Populaton 1 x 10-4 Risk PCB (ng/g) <15 Weekly > Monthly > Once Every 3 Months > Yearly > Do not eat >5600

28 Summary Valuable Tool - Tissue Residues are actively being used by NJDEP programs Regulatory, Research and Advisory Essential for Fish Advisories Need Regular Surveys Key for Site Remediation Eco Risk Remedial Goal Determination Criteria/Screening Levels Comparable Conclusions

29 Challenges/Future Needs Site-specific Data is Vital!! Resource Intensive (e.g., congeners) Funding Acceptance Adequate benchmarks/screening criteria Cumulative effects of multiple contaminants

30 QUESTIONS?? Contact Info: Fish Advisories: