Presentation of a general algorithm to include effect assessment on secondary poisoning in the derivation of environmental quality criteria. Part 1. Aquatic food chains.

Effect assessment on secondary poisoning can be an asset to effect assessments on direct poisoning in setting quality criteria for the environment. This study presents an algorithm for effect assessment on secondary poisoning. The water-fish-fish-eating bird or mammal pathway was analyzed as an example of a secondary poisoning pathway. Parameters used in this algorithm are the bioconcentration factor for fish (BCF) and the no-observed-effect concentration for the group of fish-eating birds and mammals (NOECfish-eater). For the derivation of reliable BCFs preference is given to the use of experimentally derived BCFs over QSAR estimates. NOECs for fish eaters are derived by extrapolating toxicity data on single species. Because data on fish-eating species are seldom available, toxicity data on all birds and mammalian species were used. The proposed algorithm (MAR = NOECfish-eater/BCF) was used to calculate MARS (maximum acceptable risk levels) for the compounds lindane, dieldrin, cadmium, mercury, PCB153, and PCB118. By subsequently, comparing these MARs to MARs derived by effect assessment for aquatic organisms, it was concluded that for methyl mercury and PCB153 secondary poisoning of fish-eating birds and mammals could be a critical pathway. For these compounds, effects on populations of fish-eating birds and mammals can occur at levels in surface water below the MAR calculated for aquatic ecosystems. Secondary poisoning of fish-eating birds and mammals is not likely to occur for cadmium at levels in water below the MAR calculated for aquatic ecosystems.