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MARINE RISK ASSESSMENT<br />

More details on the features of these models can be found in the section on calculation of<br />

PECregional <strong>for</strong> the freshwater environment (Section 2.3.8.7.) 6 .<br />

The calculation of PECregional according to this scenario provides the results <strong>for</strong> the generic<br />

risk assessment that is necessary <strong>for</strong> the risk evaluation <strong>for</strong> new <strong>and</strong> existing substances <strong>and</strong><br />

biocides. Sufficient in<strong>for</strong>mation on sources <strong>and</strong> emissions <strong>and</strong> site-specific in<strong>for</strong>mation on the<br />

suspended matter concentration, the flow rate <strong>and</strong> the dispersion velocity may be available so the<br />

generic assessment can be made more site-specific by overriding some of the default parameters<br />

or even can be replaced by site-specific models. The dispersion velocity greatly affects all<br />

calculated concentrations, while in addition the suspended matter content further affects the<br />

dissolved concentration in seawater <strong>for</strong> chemicals with high log Kow. For the marine<br />

environment, models are available that can be used to assess the concentrations in certain<br />

specific compartments (bays, estuaries, regions) of the marine environment to which specific<br />

industrial sites discharge wastewater.<br />

4.3 MARINE EFFECTS ASSESSMENT<br />

4.3.1 Effects Assessment <strong>for</strong> the aquatic compartment<br />

4.3.1.1 Introduction<br />

Historically, the patterns of chemical production <strong>and</strong> usage resulting from urban <strong>and</strong> industrial<br />

development have led to the freshwater environment being considered to be the hydrosphere<br />

most at risk from these substances. Consequently, most regulatory schemes <strong>for</strong> evaluating the<br />

hazards <strong>and</strong> risks posed by new <strong>and</strong> existing substances have focussed primarily on the<br />

protection of freshwater communities. As a result there is a considerable body of data on the<br />

ecotoxicity of chemical substances to freshwater organisms (ECETOC, 1994a) 7.<br />

Where there is a need to assess the potential impact of substances entering estuarine <strong>and</strong> marine<br />

waters, any hazard or risk assessment should ideally be based upon data generated using a range<br />

of ecologically relevant saltwater species (<strong>for</strong> example algae, invertebrates <strong>and</strong> fish). This is<br />

particularly important given the greater diversity of species (particularly invertebrates) present in<br />

6 A default length:width ratio of the coastal marine compartment has been set at 4:1. Assuming that this reflects the<br />

plume shape in the generic assessment situation, this implies a ratio between the advective sea current along the<br />

coast <strong>and</strong> the dispersive transport velocity perpendicular to that. If, in addition to the compartment dimensions, a<br />

value is chosen <strong>for</strong> the sea current, the value of the lateral dispersion coefficient follows, or vice versa. If then a<br />

value <strong>for</strong> the freshwater discharge into the coastal marine compartment is set too, mixing of freshwater with<br />

coastal seawater is determined completely. In the generic regional model the river discharges approximately<br />

1000 m 3 /s into the continental model. With the dimensions of the sea compartment set to 40,000 m . 10,000 m . 10 m,<br />

<strong>and</strong> a suggested default value <strong>for</strong> the sea current of 0.03 m/s, taking into account the necessary dispersion coefficient<br />

of 50 m 2 /s, the freshwater content of the sea water inside the selected box would become approximately 10%.<br />

It should be noted that river water plumes in coastal waters vary greatly with local conditions (river flow, sea<br />

current, tide, depth, etc.). Prediction of site-specific dilution of river water into coastal seawater requires sitespecific<br />

knowledge of flows <strong>and</strong> salinity distributions. Rhine <strong>and</strong> Meuse water (2,000 m 3 /s) are known to mix with<br />

a sea current of 0.035 m/s in the southern North Sea, yielding a very long-streched plume with approximately 20%<br />

river water in the first 10 km of the coast. A dispersion coefficient of 20 m 2 /s adequately describes this situation.<br />

The Amazon river is known <strong>for</strong> its great plume.<br />

7 The ECETOC database consists of 2,203 entries on 361 chemicals, covering 121 species. Data on freshwater<br />

species accounted <strong>for</strong> 1862 entries (84.5%) while data <strong>for</strong> saltwater (estuarine/marine) species accounted <strong>for</strong><br />

341 entries (15.5%).<br />

146

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