The Coastal Resource Coordinator's Bioassessment Manual

HAZMAT 93-1–Introduction
DEFINITION
CHAPTER 1
BIOASSESSMENT: AN OVERVIEW
Bioassessment is the characterization of environmental conditions through the use of
biological organisms. The major objectives of this document are to provide some general
guidelines on: the application of bioassessment procedures to the different stages of the
hazardous waste site remedial process, the design of bioassessment studies, the use of
specific bioassessment methodologies, and the concurrent physico-chemical measurements
needed. In addition, a summary of recommended toxicity testing protocols, most of which
represent the present state-of-the-art, is provided for use in specific situations. The
bioassessment methodologies discussed in this document are generally restricted to those
applicable to aquatic environments since this is the environment of concern to the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
There are three levels of questions concerning contamination of the environment near a
hazardous waste site:
1. Are contaminants present
2. Are contaminants bioavailable
3. Are contaminants causing or have the potential to cause bioeffects
While chemical analyses are an important first step in the characterization of hazardous
waste sites, by themselves they yield little information on impacts or potential impacts to
biological resources. The presence of a contaminant does not mean it is bioavailable, and
the fact that it is bioavailable does not necessarily mean it is capable of causing bioeffects. In
the context of this document, bioeffect means an effect on a biological organism,
population, or community that is detrimental to the health of the organism, population, or
community. Determining the potential for causing bioeffects is a necessary component in
the determination of the environmental impact of a hazardous waste site.
Bioassessment methodologies use well-defined tests with biological organisms to determine
biological sensitivities to contaminated soil, sediment, or water samples from hazardous
waste sites. These methodologies can be grouped into four general categories: toxicity tests,
bioaccumulation, biomarkers (biochemical effects, physiological effects, incidence of
disease), and community studies. Individual bioassessment methodologies are incapable of
proving cause and effect at hazardous waste sites. However, an integrated approach using
1-1 July 2003