Leaching and bioassay studies on the significance of heavy metals in dredged sediments.

This study examines the release of heavy metals from dredged sediments from various locations in the U.S. These studies have shown that for sediments tested thus far, the only heavy metal released in potentially significant amounts to possibly be adverse to water quality at a dredged material disposal site water column is manganese. Bioassays of the elutriates of dredged sediments were conducted to examine the toxicity of released metals and other contaminants on aquatic organisms. The toxicity of the sediment elutriate mixtures was insufficient to be adverse to aquatic organisms in a typical open water disposal site water column. The study includes sediments from the Trinity River and Houston Ship Channel, and Galveston, Texas City, Corpus Christi, Port Aransas and Port Lavaca in Texas.