Ecotoxicology
Ecotoxicology. Evaluate the current research studies in this area, are they relevant, sufficient, and pertinent in helping TVA assess and evaluate the environment implications of the fly ash spill?
Ecotoxicology
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Presentation Transcript
Ecotoxicology • Evaluate the current research studies in this area, are they relevant, sufficient, and pertinent in helping TVA assess and evaluate the environment implications of the fly ash spill? • Identify the major research gaps in the current monitoring and assessment studies that apply to this particular functional workshop area? • What are the major obstacles or challenges associated with each of these identified research gaps? • Are all the major pathways related to implications of the ash spill to human health currently being addressed? • What factors should TVA consider in its prioritization of resources to address issues in this functional area?
Identifying and Prioritizing Data Gaps • What are criteria for determining priority data gaps? • What are data gaps? • What should we drop / what are the technical obstacles? • All members of discussion group will prioritize the data gaps. • Results presented today, written white paper (due 3/26).
Criteria • Absence or conflicting data • Thresholds vs exposure context of existing data • Quality of existing data and its intended use • Temporal aspect of data • Existing data represent dynamic system • Long term versus short term effects
Criteria • Used right animals for tests • Matrix tested • Quality of existing test data, relevance or appropriateness • Assumptions of standard bioassays • Non-detects for existing and new data – how handled
Group Demographics • Academic – 6 • State Agencies – 2 • Federal Agencies – 4 • Private Industries – 6
Top 6 Data Gaps • Uptake in biofilms, phytoplankton, plants • Good reference site • In context of other contributors to system (foundry, pulp mill, DOE, WWTP) • Reference envelope • What contaminants of concern should move forward? • temporal, lentic/lotic, dynamic system • Need for reproductive and other sublethal endpoints (reptiles, amphibians) • Food chain modeling – what is needed • Dietary exposure parameters • Changes in ash over time – mixing with sediment
Notes to consider • Need to ID process for determining data gaps, what data do we already have? What process to determine quality? • Database, how will it be organized, how will database be communicated to investigators? Need for investigators to provide data • Don’t just focus on selenium, but know differences in how to assess the coc’s • Group not in a position to say what we don’t need, some examples: tree swallows, mayfly emergence, water levels (political realities)
