Can we predict temperature-dependent chemical toxicity to marine organisms and set appropriate water quality guidelines for protecting marine ecosystems under different thermal scenarios?

•Temperature-dependent chemical toxicity (TDCT) to marine organisms was examined.•Chemical toxicity to marine species can be broadly described by two models.•Temperature-dependent species sensitivity distributions also support these models.•From these models, an appropriate assessment factor can be...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2014-10, Vol.87 (1-2), p.11-21
Main Authors: Zhou, Guang-Jie, Wang, Zhen, Lau, Edward Tak Chuen, Xu, Xiang-Rong, Leung, Kenneth Mei Yee
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Aquatic Organisms
Assessment factor
Assessments
Biological and medical sciences
Climate Change
Conservation of Natural Resources - methods
Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Environmental risk assessment
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Guidelines
Marine
Marine and brackish environment
Models, Biological
Optimization
Organisms
Sea water ecosystems
Seawater - chemistry
Species sensitivity distribution
Species Specificity
Synecology
Temperature
Toxicity
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
Water Quality
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Summary:•Temperature-dependent chemical toxicity (TDCT) to marine organisms was examined.•Chemical toxicity to marine species can be broadly described by two models.•Temperature-dependent species sensitivity distributions also support these models.•From these models, an appropriate assessment factor can be set to account for TDCT. Temperature changes due to climate change and seasonal fluctuation can have profound implications on chemical toxicity to marine organisms. Through a comprehensive meta-analysis by comparing median lethal or effect concentration data of six chemicals for various saltwater species obtained at different temperatures, we reveal that the chemical toxicity generally follows two different models: (1) it increases with increasing temperature and (2) it is the lowest at an optimal temperature and increases with increasing or decreasing temperature from the optimal temperature. Such observations are further supported by temperature-dependent hazardous concentration 10% (HC10) values derived from species sensitivity distributions which are constructed using the acute toxicity data generated at different temperatures. Considering these two models and natural variations of seawater temperature, we can scientifically assess whether applying an assessment factor (e.g. 10) to modify water quality guidelines of the chemicals can adequately protect marine ecosystems in tropics, subtropics and temperate regions, respectively.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.08.003