| Summary: | The findings of this report were thought to be a useful contribution to the current knowledge of the quality of Aberdeen Harbours marine environment, and has resulted in a further round of scientific research into the effects of pollution on marine organisms. An integrative approach was used which combined chemical, biological and ecotoxicological indicators to provide evidence of pollution-induced degradation known as Sediment Quality Triad approach . The use of a Sediment Quality Triad approach to develop a single numerical index to describe the condition of the benthic ecosystem is a useful methodology in demonstrating spatial and temporal variability in marine sediment quality. The appropriate graphic representation of the Triad data can be effective in displaying relationships between patterns of toxicity, biology and chemistry. However the selection of the weighting tool for normalisation does effect the components and subsequently its use as a screening tool should be site or region specific, and not generic. There is a further need to be evaluating the use of sub-lethal toxicity tests and responses relative to changes the benthic community structure and sensitivity to contaminants, particularly in relation to interactions between multiple chemicals. These results show the value of using multi-component parameters for evaluating sediment quality. The combination of field and laboratory studies of sediment quality therefore can an important measure of the relationship between sediment and food-web magnification, and are therefore crucial signposts for hazard identification in marine sediments.
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