GLEC in association with the University of Wisconsin Superior assisted EPA in developing sediment quality criteria (SQC) for the protection of benthic organisms. The Office of Science and Technology has proposed using equilibrium partitioning theory (Eq-P) to derive sediment quality criteria for the protection of aquatic benthic organisms. The objective of this work assignment was to determine the ability of Eq-P to predict the toxic concentrations of phthalate esters in sediments. The successful completion of the tests added evidence of the applicability of Eq-P, beyond PAHs and nonionic pesticides. This work assignment encompasses the performance of a spiked sediment toxicity test with di-n-butyl-phthalate (DBP) to help evaluate the applicability of the Eq-P approach for predicting toxic concentrations of DBP in whole sediment, sediment pore water and overlying water. This approach allowed an evaluation of the Eq-P approach for predicting toxic (and non-toxic) DBP concentrations in sediment.
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