Abstract
Purpose
In order to assess sediment quality and to account for the great geochemical heterogeneity of Italian coasts, Local Sediment Quality Guidelines (LSQGs) have to be defined for specific portions of the coastline based on the approach developed by ICRAM–APAT (2007). This paper describes the application of LSQGs to the harbour of Fiumicino (Rome, Italy). The aims were to evaluate the quality of dredging sediments through an integrated chemical–ecotoxicological approach and to define suitable management options.
Materials and methods
Thirty-eight sediment cores, covering the planned dredging depth, were collected in the study area and sliced into 92 sediment samples. Chemical analyses, including inorganic and organic contaminants as well as microbiological parameters, were carried out for all the samples. A bioassay battery composed by the bacterium Vibrio fischeri, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the alga Dunaliella tertiolecta was applied on one third of the samples. LSQGs were derived from chemical and ecotoxicological data of the harbour area, and were integrated with those from the identified dumping site. The Baseline Chemical Level, corresponding to an absent or unlikely ecotoxicological hazard, and the Limit Chemical Level, corresponding to a probable ecotoxicological hazard, were the LSQGs derived for each chemical.
Results and discussion
A gradient of increasing contamination, moving inland due to urban and agricultural effluents, was observed. Ecotoxicological analyses, similar to microbiological ones, confirmed the poor sediment quality, with the exception of a sample located at the port entrance, where hydrodynamics flush sediment away from the site. Principal component analysis allowed a clear discrimination of three areas, each affected by a different contamination degree and influenced by many sources related to industrial, commercial and/or urban activities. Using LSQGs and the results of bioassays, it was possible to classify the sediment quality of the whole harbour area and to define the most suitable management options. It was found that Fiumicino harbour sediment was not suitable for either beach nourishment or for offshore dumping, with the exception of a negligible amount located at the port entrance. In turn, most sediment seemed to be suitable for disposal in a properly sealed confined disposal facility or for mechanical/chemical treatment.
Conclusions
This case study provided useful insights for implementing the development of LSQGs for more realistic sediment management and will assist in promoting its application to harbour dredging at the local level.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alvarez-Guerra M, Viguri JR, Casado-Martínez MC, Del Valls TÁ (2007) Sediment quality assessment and dredged material management in Spain: part II, analysis of action levels for dredged material management and application to the Bay of Cádiz. Integrated Environ Assess Manag 3:539–551
Anderson J, Birge W, Gentile J, Lake J, Rodgers JJ (1987) Biological effects. Bioaccumulation and ecotoxicology of sediment associated chemicals. In: Dickson KL, Maki AW, Brungs WA (eds) Fate and effects of sediment-bound chemicals in aquatic systems. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 267–296
Ankley GT, Schubauer-Berigan MK, Hoke RA (1992) Use of toxicity identification evaluation techniques to identify dredged material disposal options: a proposed approach. Environ Manage 16:1–6
Aspila KI, Agemian H, Chau ASY (1976) A semi-automated method for the determination of inorganic, organic and total phosphate in sediments. Analyst 101:197–197
Ausili A (2001) Analisi degli idrocarburi policiclici aromatici – Sedimenti. scheda 9. In: Cicero AM, Di Girolamo I (eds). Metodologie Analitiche di Riferimento del Programma di Monitoraggio per il controllo dell’ambiente marino costiero (triennio 2001–2003). Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. ICRAM© Roma 2001. http://www.minambiente.it/export/sites/default/archivio/biblioteca/protezione_natura/dpn_metodologie_riferimento.pdf. Accessed 6 Jun 2012
Bailey RC, Day KE, Norris RH, Reynoldson TB (1995) Macroinvertebrate community structure and sediment bioassay results from nearshore areas of North American Great Lakes. J Great Lakes Res 21:42–52
BCMWLAP (2003) Criteria for contaminated sites. Criteria for managing contaminated sediment in British Columbia. Technical Appendix. British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/remediation/standards_criteria/pdf/sed_criteria_tech_app.pdf. Accessed 19 Mar 2012
Bonadonna L (2001) Escherichia coli nelle acque: significato sanitario e metodologie d’analisi Notiziario dei metodi analitici. ISSN: 1125–2464
Burton MAS, Bennett BG (1987) Exposure of man to environmental hexachlorobenzene (HCB)—an exposure commitment assessment. Sci Total Environ 66:137–146
Environment Canada (1998) National guidelines for monitoring dredged and excavated material at ocean disposal sites. Environment Canada Disposal at Sea Program, September 1998
Carr RS, Chapman DC, Howard CL, Biedenbach JM (1996) Sediment quality triad assessment survey of the Galvestone Bay, Texas system. Ecotoxicology 5:341–364
Chapman PM (1990) The sediment quality triad approach to determining pollution-induced degradation. Sci Total Environ 97-98:815–825
Chapman PM (2002) Integrating toxicology and ecology: putting the “eco” into ecotoxicology. Mar Pollut Bull 44:7–15
Chapman PM, Ho KT, Munns WR, Solomon K, Weinstein MP (2002) Issues in sediment toxicity and ecological risk assessment. Mar Pollut Bull 44:271–278
Cicero AM, Pietrantonio E, Romanelli G, Di Muccio A (2000) Comparison of soxhlet, shaking, and microwave assisted extraction techniques for determination of PCB congeners in a marine sediment. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 65:07–313
Cillari T, Finoia MG, Onorati F, Pulcini M, Mugnai C, Ausili A, Sunseri G (2011) Integrated physical–chemical and ecotoxicological approach in the management of dredging sediments from Palermo Harbour. Chem Ecol 27(S2):25–37
Commonwealth of Australia (2009) National Assessment Guidelines for Dredging, Canberra, 2009 http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/pollution/dumping/publications/pubs/guidelines09.pdf Accessed 6 Jun 2012
Davies CM, Long JAH, Donald M, Ashbolt NJ (1995) Survival of fecal microorganisms in marine and freshwater sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 61:1888–1896
Azur Environmental (1995) Microtox® M500 Manual. A toxicity testing handbook. Microbics Corporation, Carslbad
EU (2011) Common Implementation Strategy for the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) Guidance Document No. 27 Technical Guidance for deriving Environmental Quality Standards, Technical Report - = 2011–055, 204 pp. http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/guidance_documents/tgd-eqs_cis-wfd/_EN_1.0_&a=d Accessed 6 Jun (2012).
Giani M (2001) Metodologie Analitiche di Riferimento del Programma di Monitoraggio per il controllo dell’ambiente marino costiero (triennio 2001–2003). In: Cicero AM, Di Girolamo I (eds) Analisi di carbonio totale e organico (Metodo Analizzatore Elementare)—Sedimenti, scheda 4. Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. ICRAM, Rome
Giani M, Gabellini M, Pellegrini D, Costantin S, Beccaloni E, Giordano R (1994) Concentration and partitioning of Cr, Hg and Pb in sediments of dredge and disposal sites of the Northern Adriatic Sea. Sci Total Environ 158:97–112
Giesy JP, Hoke RA (1989) Freshwater sediment toxicity bioassessment: rationale for species selection and test design. J Great Lakes Res 15:539–569
Giesy JP, Hoke RA (1990) Sediments: chemistry and toxicity of in-place pollutants. In: Baudo R, Giesy J, Muntau H (eds) Freshwater sediment quality criteria: toxicity bioassessment. Lewis Publisher, Ann Arbor, pp 265–348
Grimmer G, Bohnke H (1975) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon profile analysis of high protein foods, oils and fats by gas chromatography. J Assoc Off Anal Chem 58:725–729
Hamburg Port Authority (2011) Assessment Criteria for Dredged Material with special focus on the North Sea Region. Prepared by Henrich Röper/Axel Netzband with support from DGE/dredging in Europe http://www.sednet.org/download/Dredged_Material_Criteria_North_Sea_0611.pdf Accessed 6 Jun 2012.
Hammer Ø, Harper DAT, Ryan PD (2001) PAST: paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontol Electron 4:1–9
Hartwell SI, Dawson CE, Durell EQ, Alden RW, Adolphson PC, Wright D, Coelho GM, Magee JA, Ailstock S, Norman M (1997) Correlation of measures of ambient toxicity and fish community diversity in Chesapeake Bay, USA, tributaries–urbanizing watersheds. Environ Toxicol Chem 16:2556–2567
Hatakeyama S, Yokoyama N (1997) Correlation between overall pesticide effects monitored by shrimp mortality test and change in macrobenthic fauna in a river. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 36:148–161
Ho KT, Burgess RM, Pelletier MC, Serbst JR, Ryba SA, Cantwell MG, Kuhn A, Raczelowski P (2002) An overview of toxicant identification in sediments and dredged materials. Mar Pollut Bull 44:286–293
ICRAM (2001) Metodologie Analitiche di Riferimento del Programma di Monitoraggio per il controllo dell’ambiente marino costiero (triennio 2001–2003). Analytical reference methods for the Italian monitoring program of the marine coastal environment, Cicero AM, Di Girolamo I (eds). Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. ICRAM © Roma http://www.minambiente.it/export/sites/default/archivio/biblioteca/protezione_natura/dpn_metodologie_riferimento.pdf. Accessed 6 Jun 2012
ICRAM–APAT (2007) Manuale per la movimentazione di sedimenti marini. Manual for the handling of marine sediments. http://www.apat.gov.it/site/_files/manualeSedimentiMarini.pdf. Accessed 19 Mar 2012
IMO (1996) 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972. http://www.imo.org/OurWork/Environment/SpecialProgrammesAndInitiatives/Pages/London-Convention-and-Protocol.aspx Accessed 19 Mar 2012
IMO (2007) Specific guidelines for assessment of dredged material. http://www.imo.org/blast/blastDataHelper.asp?data_id=17020&filename=1-DredgedMaterial.pdf. Accessed 19 Mar 2012
IMO (2009) London Convention and Protocol: Guidance for the development of Action Lists and Action Levels for dredged material. IMO, London. ISBN 978-92-801-15048
ISO 1253 (2006) Water quality—marine algal growth inhibition test with Skeletonema costatum and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. ISO 10253:2006
Krantzberg G, Reynoldson T, Jaagumagi R, Bedard D, Painter S, Boyd D, Pawson T (2000) SEDS: setting environmental decisions for sediment, a decision making tool for sediment management. Aquat Ecosyst Health 3:387–396
Leotsinidis M, Sazakli E (2008) Evaluating contamination of dredges and disposal criteria in Greek coastal areas. Chemosphere 72:811–818
Lera S, Macchia S, Pellegrini D (2006) Standardizing the methodology of sperm cell test with Paracentrotus lividus. Environ Monit Assess 122:101–109
MacDonald DD, Ingersoll CG (2002) A guidance manual to support the assessment of contaminated sediments in freshwater ecosystems. EPA-905-B02-A. http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/sedtox/volumeI.pdf. Accessed 13 Dec 2012
MacDonald DD, Carr RS, Calder FD, Long ER, Ingersoll CG (1996) Development and evaluation of sediment quality guidelines for Florida coastal waters. Ecotoxicology 5:253–278
MacDonald DD, Ingersoll CG, Berger TA (2000) Development and evaluation of consensus-based sediment quality guidelines for freshwater ecosystems. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 39:20–31
MacDonald DD, Matta MB, Field LJ, Cairncross C, Munn MD (2003) The coastal resource coordinator’s bioassessment manual. Report No. HAZMAT 93–1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, 160 pp + Appendices
Maitra S, Yan J (2008) Principle component analysis and partial least squares: two dimension reduction techniques for regression. Casualty Actuarial Society, Discussion Paper program. http://www.casact.org/pubs/dpp/dpp08/08dpp76.pdf Accessed 19 Mar 2012
Manz W, Krebs F., Shipper CA, den Besten PJ (2007) Status of ecotoxicological assessment of sediment and dredged material in Germany and in the Netherlands. SedNet DGE Report 5. http://www.sednet.org/download/DGE-Report-5-Ecotoxicology.pdf Accessed 19 Mar 2012
Morabito (2001) Metodo per la determinazione di composti organostannici in sedimenti e matrici biologiche tramite GC-MS e GC-FPD—Appendice 1. In: Cicero AM, Di Girolamo I (eds) Metodologie Analitiche di Riferimento del Programma di Monitoraggio per il controllo dell’ambiente marino costiero (triennio 2001–2003). Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. ICRAM© Roma http://www.minambiente.it/export/sites/default/archivio/biblioteca/protezione_natura/dpn_metodologie_riferimento.pdf. Accessed 6 Jun 2012
Mugnai C, Bertolotto RM, Gaino F, Tiberiade C, Bellucci LG, Giuliani S, Romano S, Frignani M, Albertazzi S, Galazzo D (2010) History and trends of sediment contamination by heavy metals within and close to a marine area of national interest: the Ligurian Sea off Cogoleto-Stoppani (Genoa, Italy). Water Air Soil Poll 211:69–77
Nieuwenhuize J, Maas YEM, Middleburg JJ (1994) Rapid analysis of organic carbon and nitrogen in particulate materials. Mar Chem 45:217–224
Onorati F, Mecozzi M (2004) Effects of two diluents in the Microtox toxicity bioassay with marine sediments. Chemosphere 54:679–687
Onorati F, Volpi Ghirardini A (2001) Informazioni fornite dalle diverse matrici da testare con i saggi biologici: applicabilità di Vibrio fischeri. Biol Mar Medit 8:31–40
Pellegrini D, Lucarotti S (2001) Determinazione del contenuto di alcuni elementi chimici nei sedimenti marini (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) — Sedimenti, scheda 10. In: Cicero AM, Di Girolamo I (eds) Metodologie Analitiche di Riferimento del Programma di Monitoraggio per il controllo dell’ambiente marino costiero (triennio 2001–2003). Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. ICRAM ©. Roma http://www.minambiente.it/export/sites/default/archivio/biblioteca/protezione_natura/dpn_metodologie_riferimento.pdf. Accessed 6 Jun 2012
PIANC (2009) Dredged material as a resource. Envicom report 104–January 2009 issue
Romano E, Gabellini M (2001) Analisi delle caratteristiche granulometriche—Sedimenti, scheda 3 In: Cicero AM, Di Girolamo I (eds) Metodologie Analitiche di Riferimento del Programma di Monitoraggio per il controllo dell’ambiente marino costiero (triennio 2001–2003). Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. ICRAM ©. Roma http://www.minambiente.it/export/sites/default/archivio/biblioteca/protezione_natura/dpn_metodologie_riferimento.pdf. Accessed 6 Jun 2012
Swartz RC, DeBen WA, Sercu KA, Lamberson JO (1982) Sediment toxicity and the distribution of amphipods in Commencement Bay, Washington, USA. Mar Pollut Bull 13:359–364
Swartz RC, Kemp PF, Schults DW, Ditsworth GR, Ozretich RJ (1989) Acute toxicity of sediments from Eagle Harbour, Washington, to the infaunal amphipod Rhepoxynius abronius. Environ Toxicol Chem 8:215–222
Swartz RC, Cole FA, Lamberson JO, Ferraro SP, Schults DW, DeBen WA, Lee HI, Ozretich RJ (1994) Sediment toxicity, contamination and amphipod abundance at a DDT and dieldrin contaminated site in San Francisco Bay. Environ Toxicol Chem 13:949–962
UNEP-MAP (1995a) Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean. http://195.97.36.231/dbases/webdocs/BCP/bc95_Eng_p.pdf Accessed 19 Mar 2012
UNEP-MAP (1995b) Protocol for the Prevention and Elimination of Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft or Incineration at Sea. http://195.97.36.231/dbases/webdocs/BCP/ProtocolDumping95amendments_Eng.pdf Accessed 19 Mar 2012
USEPA (1978) Petroleum hydrocarbons (spectrophotometric, infrared) EPA Method 418.1. http://www.bucksci.com/catalogs/EPA%20Method%20-%20418_1-total%20petroleum%20hydrocarbons.pdf. Accessed 13 Dec 2012
USEPA (1991) Evaluation of Dredged Material Proposed for Ocean Disposal–Testing Guide, EPA-503/8-91/001, USEPA and US Army Corps of Engineers. http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/oceandumping/dredgedmaterial/upload/gbook.pdf. Accessed 13 Dec 2012
USEPA (1992a) Environmental Protection Agency Evaluating Environmental effects of dredged material management alternatives. A technical framework. http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulatory/dumpdredged/framework/techframework.pdf. Accessed 19 Mar 2012
USEPA (1992b), Sediment Classification Methods Compendium, USEPA Office of Water, Report EPA-823-R-92-006, September 1992
USEPA (1992c), Proceedings of the EPA’s Contaminated Sediment Strategy Forums, Office of Water, EPA 823-R-92-007
USEPA (1992d) Evaluating Environmental Effects of Dredged Material Management Alternatives—A Technical Framework. EPA/USACE. EPA842-B-92-008, November 1992
USEPA (1995) Contaminated Sites, Sampling Design Guidelines. EPA (Sydney, N.S.W.); 95/59
Williams LG, Chapman PM, Ginn TC (1986) A comparative evaluation of marine sediment toxicity using bacterial luminescence, oyster embryo and amphipod sediment bioassays. Mar Environ Res 19:225–249
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the Port Authority of Civitavecchia, Fiumicino e Gaeta. The authors wish to thanks two anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions which helped to improve the paper.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Sabine Elisabeth Apitz
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
ESM 1
(DOC 60 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Onorati, F., Mugnai, C., Pulcini, M. et al. A framework for the integrated assessment and management of dredged materials in Italy: a case study based on the application of Local Sediment Quality Guidelines. J Soils Sediments 13, 474–487 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-012-0636-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-012-0636-4