Disposal of Industrial and Domestic Wastes Land and Sea Alternatives (1984) / Chapter Skim
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4. REPORT OF THE PANEL ON BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
4. REPORT OF THE PANEL ON BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
Pages 101-145
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From page 102... ...
From these disposal activities, data bases are available that can be used to begin to evaluate the biological impact of waste disposal in the marine environment. Although our discussion is focused on the impact of sewage sludge disposal, the input of chemical contaminants from the disposal of dredged material and industrial wastes will result in similar effects in the marine environment.
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From page 105... ...
. In the New York Bight Apex, seasonal and annual variations in productivity and stratification of the water column may lead to periods of low dissolved oxygen or anoxia in the benthos, such as that experienced during the summer of 1976 following a bloom of Ceratium tripes.
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From page 106... ...
located 106 nautical miles southeast of New York Harbor on the continental slope in the northwest Atlantic at a water depth of 2,000 m; and the proposed Orange County deep-water disposal site located off the coast of southern California at a depth of 300 to 400 m. Dumpsite 106 is typical of slope water regions of the northwest Atlantic, and experience with industrial waste dumping at this site provides a background of mixing and dispersal characteristics of waste inputs.
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From page 107... ...
(1982) , in conjunction with a baseline study conducted by the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, have developed a comprehensive research program to address the feasibility and impact of this particular disposal option.
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From page 108... ...
Transport of pathogens to humans must be addressed for any terrestrial system. Potential pathways include direct consumption of food products grown in waste-amended
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From page 110... ...
Of less dramatic concern is the alteration of community structure. Community structure continually changes, even without significant anthropogenic perturbations; thus, alteration in the community structure per se may not represent a major problem.
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From page 111... ...
In summary, the aspects of ecosystems that must be considered when evaluating waste impacts range from direct effects on individual species and effects resulting from interspecific interactions to effects on community structure and concomitant functional relationships. These aspects are overlaid by consideration of spatial and temporal scales.
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From page 112... ...
In summary, species extinctions could result from sewage disposal if critical habitats are destroyed or seriously altered. This is unlikely for offshore systems; it is possible, but relatively easily guarded against in terrestrial systems; and it is a very real danger in West Coast wetlands.
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From page 115... ...
Many terrestrial systems can be replanted and fairly quickly recolonized by animals, but it is unlikely that landfill operations will follow this procedure. 4.2.4 Productivity Changes Wastes such as sewage sludge can change biological productivity in dumping areas either by increasing plant nutrients and thereby stimulating photosynthesis or by direct input of organic matter.
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From page 116... ...
Air transport can move materials throughout large areas as the Sea Air Exchange (SEAREX) studies demonstrate, but the amount and concentrations arriving at sites far from the source are small.
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From page 117... ...
4.2.6 Habitat Types Destruction of unique habitats and communities spatially separated from similar habitats by distances that create barriers to dispersal and recolonization should be avoided. In the marine environment, habitats of particular concern include coral reefs, deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities, seamounts, kelp forests and other sites of high recreational use, and communities on the walls of some submarine canyons or islands.
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From page 119... ...
Restoration of unique habitats in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems may require artificial reclamation as propagules for recolonization are not readily available. Creation of artificial wetlands on the West Coast (Race and Christie, 1982)
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From page 120... ...
. 4.2.7 Monitoring Ecosystem Effects Monitoring programs are an important component of ecosystem analysis in order to provide time-series data sets of long-term, unexpected changes in the ecosystem as a result of waste disposal.
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From page 123... ...
The translation of these data to long-distance ocean outfalls or waste dump sites depends on the availability of information concerning two critical factors: (1) the ability of pathogens to persist and to replicate in marine environments and (2)
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From page 124... ...
Vibrio cholerae Vibrio parahaemolyticus Group F Vibrio + + + + + + o o + + NOTE: +, detectable levels present; 0, not detected.
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From page 126... ...
If the relative merits of ocean versus land disposal of sludge is to be properly evaluated with respect to health risks, development of improved methods for identifying indicator and pathogen densities in shellfish, sediments, and water will be necessary. 4.2.8.2 Pathogen Problems Associated with Land Disposal The application of wastewater sludges to land creates a potential hazard to human health.
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From page 130... ...
. Bioaccumulation of metals in the marine environment may be further complicated by the physiological state of the animal, environmental conditions, and the ability of an organism to regulate metal uptake (George, 1982; Phillips, 1977)
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From page 131... ...
Bivalve molluscs have only a limited capacity for biotransformation, and thus xenobiotic compounds will accumulate in their tissues and be directly available for human consumption. Recent studies of the incidence of tumors and other h istopathological conditions in demersal fish from the Duwamish River and Hudson River estuaries as well as the Southern California and New York Bights have suggested a possible link of chronic xenobiotic inputs and the increased incidence of such conditions (McCain et al., 1978; Perkins et al., 1982; Sindermann, 1980; Sinderman et al., 1980; Smith et al., 1979; Stegeman, 1981)
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From page 132... ...
An understanding of functional responses of ecosystems under impact is essential if we are to identify the possible routes by which toxicants and pathogens can reach humans and if we are to be better able to predict the outcome of chronic inputs to affected communities. This understanding, however, must be predicated on improved knowledge of community structure, such as what species are present in the ecosystem, their life histories, and the demographics of the important species, as well as the potential recovery rates of impacted ecosystems.
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From page 133... ...
· Criteria on health effects for shellfishassociated disease must be defined. These should include the development of more specific bacterial indicator methods to monitor potential health hazards associated with marine sludge disposal sites.
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From page 136... ...
In Annual Report, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, E1 Segundo, Calif., pp.
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From page 137... ...
1982. Ecosystem consequences of alterations of benthic community structure and function in the New York Bight region.
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From page 138... ...
1977. Short-term water column perturbations due to sewage sludge dumping in the New York Bight Apex.
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From page 139... ...
In Ecological Stress and the New York Bight: Science and Management.
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From page 141... ...
495-512 in Ecological Stress and the New York Bight: Science and Management.
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From page 144... ...
1980. The use of pathological effects of pollutants in marine environmental monitoring programs.
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From page 145... ...
1983. Survival and viability of non-culturable Escherichia cold and Vibrio cholerae in the estuarine and marine environment.
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