Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Issues to consider in the derivation of water quality benchmarks for the protection of aquatic life

  • Environmental Quality Benchmarks for Protecting Aquatic Ecosystems
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

While water quality benchmarks for the protection of aquatic life have been in use in some jurisdictions for several decades (USA, Canada, several European countries), more and more countries are now setting up their own national water quality benchmark development programs. In doing so, they either adopt an existing method from another jurisdiction, update on an existing approach, or develop their own new derivation method. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, and many issues have to be addressed when setting up a water quality benchmark development program or when deriving a water quality benchmark. Each of these tasks requires a special expertise. They may seem simple, but are complex in their details. The intention of this paper was to provide some guidance for this process of water quality benchmark development on the program level, for the derivation methodology development, and in the actual benchmark derivation step, as well as to point out some issues (notably the inclusion of adapted populations and cryptic species and points to consider in the use of the species sensitivity distribution approach) and future opportunities (an international data repository and international collaboration in water quality benchmark development).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ågerstrand M, Küster A, Bachmann J, Breitholz M, Ebert I, Rechenberg B, Rudén C (2011) Reporting and evaluation criteria as means towards a transparent use of ecotoxicity data for environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals. Environ Pollut 159(10):2487–2492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • An Y-J, Lee J-K, Cho S (2011) Korean water quality standards for the protection of human health and aquatic life. http://www.wepa-db.net/pdf/0712forum/paper10.pdf. Accessed 27 May 2013

  • ANZECC/ARMCANZ (Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand) (2000) Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality. Canberra, Australia

  • Australian Government (2013) National water quality management strategy. http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/nwqms/index.html (web site updated 30 April 2013)

  • Barata C, Agra AR, Soares AMVM (2012) Does genetic adaptation matter?—a hypothesis tested using life-history consequences of adaptation and acclimatization to copper of Daphnia longispina. Poster at SETAC World Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2012. cbmqam@cid.csic.es

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (1991) Appendix IX—a protocol for the derivation of water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life (April 1991). In: Canadian water quality guidelines. Canadian Council of Resource and Environment Ministers, 1987. Prepared by the Task Force on Water Quality Guidelines (updated and reprinted with minor revisions and editorial changes in Canadian environmental quality guidelines, chapter 4. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999, Winnipeg), 10 pp

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (1999) Canadian environmental quality guidelines. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg

    Google Scholar 

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (2003) Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life: guidance on the site-specific application of water quality guidelines in Canada: procedures for deriving numerical water quality objectives. In: Canadian environmental quality guidelines, 1999. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999, Winnipeg, 146 pp

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (2007a) A protocol for the derivation of water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life 2007. In: Canadian environmental quality guidelines, 1999. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999, Winnipeg, 37 pp

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (2007b) Strategic planning guidance—Water Quality Task Group, 2007. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg, 42 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (2013a) Organisational chart on website. http://www.ccme.ca/assets/pdf/orgchart.pdf (updated 1 April 2013)

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (2013b) Water quality index. http://www.ccme.ca/ourwork/water.html?category_id=102 (updated 29 August 2013)

  • CCREM (Canadian Council of Resource and Environment Ministers) (1987) Canadian water quality guidelines. Winnipeg

  • Chapman PF, Crane M, Wiles JA, Noppert F, McIndoe EC (eds) (1995) Asking the right questions: ecotoxicology and statistics. The report of a Workshop held at Royal Halloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom, 26–27 April 1995. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry—Europe, Brussels

  • Chapman PM, Caldwell RS, Chapman PF (1996) A warning: NOECs are inappropriate for regulatory use. Environ Toxicol Chem 15:77–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman PM, Fairbrother A, Brown D (1998) A critical evaluation of safety (uncertainty) factors for ecological risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 17:99–108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dourson M (2005) Uncertainty factors. In: Encyclopedia of toxicology (second edition). Elsevier Inc., Amsterdam, p. 401–406. ISBN: 978-0-12-369400-3

  • Duan Y, Guttman SI, Oris JT (1997) Genetic differentiation among laboratory populations of Hyalella azteca: implications for toxicology. Environ Toxicol Chem 16:691–695

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EC (Environment Canada) (2013) Federal environmental quality guidelines—alcohol ethoxylates. Environment Canada, Ottawa, http://www.ec.gc.ca/ese-ees/default.asp?lang=En&n=164786DB-1

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (European Communities) (2000) Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. OJ L327/1, 22.12.2000

  • EC (European Communities) (2011) Technical guidance for deriving environmental quality standards—common implementation strategy for the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Guidance document No. 27, Technical Report 2011-055, European Communities, Brussels, Belgium. https://circabc.europa.eu/w/browse/a3c92123-1013-47ff-b832-16e1caaafc9a. Accessed 01 March 2013

  • ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) (2012) Practical guide 3: how to report robust study summaries, version 2.0. ECHA-10-B-06.1-EN, European Chemicals Agency. http://echa.europa.eu/. Accessed 24 May 2013

  • Elmegaard N, Jagers op Akkerhuis GJAM (2000) Safety factors in pesticide risk assessment. Differences in species sensitivity and acute–chronic relations. NERI Technical Report No. 325. National Environmental Research Institute, Silkeborg, Denmark, 60 pp

  • Environment Agency (2007) Prioritising chemicals for standard derivation under Annex VIII of the Water Framework Directive—Science Report SC040038/SR. Environment Agency, Bristol, BS32 4UD, UK, 152 pp

  • Feckler A, Thielsch A, Schwenk K, Schulz R, Bundschuh M (2012) Differences in the sensitivity among cryptic lineages of the Gammarus fossarum complex. Sci Total Environ 439:158–164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feng CL, Wu FC, Zhao XL, Li HX, Chang H (2012) Water quality criteria research and progress. Sci China Earth Sci 55(6):882–891

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabaldón C, Montero-Pau J, Serra M, Carmona MJ (2013) Morphological similarity and ecological overlap in two rotifer species. PLoS ONE 8(2):e57087. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hahn T, Stauber J, Dobson S, Howe P, Kielhorn J, Koennecker G, Diamond J, Lee-Steere C, Schneider U, Sugaya Y, Taylor K, Van Dam R, Mangelsdorf I (2009) Reducing uncertainty in environmental risk assessment (ERA): clearly defining acute and chronic toxicity tests. Integr Environ Assess Manag 3:175–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hahn T, Diamond J, Dobson S, Howe P, Kielhorn J, Koennecker G, Lee-Steere C, Mangelsdorf I, Schneider U, Sugaya Y, Taylor K, van Dam R, Stauber J (2013) Predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) derivation as a significant source of variability in environmental hazard assessments of chemicals in aquatic systems: an international analysis. Integr Environ Assess Manag. doi:10.1002/ieam.1473. Accepted 3 August 2013

  • Hoekstra JA, Van Ewijk PH (1993) Alternatives for the no-observed effect level. Environ Toxicol Chem 12:187–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogg ID, Larose C, de Lafontaine Y, Doe KG (1998) Genetic evidence for a Hyalella species complex within the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River drainage basin: implications for ecotoxicology and conservation biology. Can J Zool 76:1134–1140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Junghans M, Von Arb S, Whitehouse P, Johnson I (2012) Variability in environmental quality standards—how much is there and what are the causes? Poster at SETAC World Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2012. Marion.junghans@oekotoxzentrum.ch or paul.whitehouse@environment-agency.gov.uk

  • Klimisch HJ, Andreae M, Tillman U (1997) A systematic approach for evaluating the quality of experimental toxicological and ecotoxicological data. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 25:1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepper P (2005) Manual on the methodological framework to derive environmental quality standards for priority substances in accordance with Article 16 of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Fraunhofer Institute Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Schmallenberg, Germany, 15 September 2005

  • Malkiewicz K, Hansson SO, Rudén C (2009) Assessment factors for extrapolation from short-time to chronic exposure—are the REACH guidelines adequate? Toxicol Lett 190:16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mensink BJWG, Smit CE, Montforts MHMM (2008) Manual for summarising and evaluating environmental aspects of plant protection products. RIVM report no. 601712004/2008. RIVM, Bilthoven, the Netherlands. www.rivm.nl. Accessed 27 May 2013

  • Moore DRJ, Caux P-Y (1997) Estimating low toxic effects. Environ Toxicol Chem 16(4):794–801

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nys C, Janssen CR, De Schamphelaere K (2012) A comparison of the chronic Pb toxicity between laboratory and field populations of the great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis). Poster at SETAC World Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2012. Chnys.nys@ugent.be

  • OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) (2005) Guidance document on the validation and international acceptance of new or updated test methods for hazard assessment. OECD, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfenninger M, Schwenk K (2007) Cryptic animal species are homogeneously distributed among taxa and biogeographical regions. BMC Evol Biol 7:121. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-7-121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pieters MN, Kramer HJ, Slob W (1998) Evaluation of the uncertainty factor for subchronic-to-chronic extrapolation: statistical analysis of toxicity data. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 27(2):108–111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pohl HR, Chou C-HSJ, Ruiz P, Holler JS (2010) Chemical risk assessment and uncertainty associated with extrapolation across exposure duration. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 57(1):18–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Posthuma L, Suter II GW, Traas T (eds) (2002) Species sensitivity distribution in ecotoxicology. CRC, Boca Raton, 587 pp

  • Rand GM (1995) Fundamentals of aquatic toxicology: effects, environmental fate, and risk assessment, 2nd edn. Taylor and Francis, Washington, 1125 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Renwick AG (1995) The use of an additional safety or uncertainty factor for nature of toxicity in the estimation of acceptable daily intake and tolerable daily intake values. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 22(3):250–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • RIVM (Reijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu) (2011) Evaluatie van de methodiek voor het afleiden van indicatieve milieurisicogrenzen—RIVM Rapport 601357006/2011. Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijm en Sport, p 68

  • Rocha-Olivares A, Fleeger JW, Foltz DW (2004) Differential tolerance among cryptic species: a potential cause of pollutant-related reductions in genetic diversity. Environ Toxicol Chem 23(9):2132–2137

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stephan CE, Mount DI, Hansen DJ, Gentile JH, Chapman GA, Brungs WA (1985) Guidelines for deriving numerical national water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic organisms and their uses. United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-822-R85100, Washington, DC

  • US EPA (United States of America Environmental Protection Agency) (2013) Antidegradation policy. http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/adeg.cfm (updated 6 March 2012)

  • Van Herwijnen R, Postma J, Keijzers R, Van Leeuwen L (2012) Comparison of environmental quality standard derivation methods: indicative versus WFD methodology. SETAC Poster TH282. Rene.van.herwijnen@rivm.nl

  • Warne M, Stauber J, Van Dam R (2008) NOEC and LOEC data should no longer be generated or used. Australas J Ecotoxicol 14:1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • WEPA (Water Environment Partnership in Asia) (2012) Outlook on water environmental management in Asia 2012. Published by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, Tokyo. ISBN: 978-4-88788-108-2. http://www.wepa-db.net/pdf/1203outlook/01.pdf

  • Wu F, Meng W, Zhao X, Li H, Zhang R, Cao Y, Liao H (2010) China embarking on development of its own national water quality criteria system. Environ Sci Technol 44(21):7992–7993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamazaki K (2011) Regulatory standards for conservation of aquatic life in Japan. Environmental Health Department, Ministry of the Environment, Japan, Tokyo, Japan. Keynote Lecture at EQSPAE-2011. International Conference on Deriving Environmental Quality Standards for the Protection of Aquatic Ecosystems, 3–7 December 2011, University of Hong Kong. Kunihiko_yamazaki@env.go.jp

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1944 Forced Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K0A 3H0

    Uwe Schneider

Authors
  1. Uwe Schneider
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Uwe Schneider.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schneider, U. Issues to consider in the derivation of water quality benchmarks for the protection of aquatic life. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 33–50 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2204-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2204-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation