Case Study: Superfunds
CCase Study – Superfund Questions
1. What are the benefits of comparing contaminant concentrations and biological impacts in Tidal Bay sediments with those of a reference area?
Benefits of comparing containment concentrations and biological impacts in Tidal Bay sediments with those of a reference area include seeing to what degree and level of toxicity Tidal Bay is given the reference area. In other words, the reference area provides a basis point for the measurements of Tidal Bay.
2. What are some of the limitations (problems) associated with the use of a reference area and with the choice of Shipshape Inlet as this area?
One limitation associated with the use of a reference area and with the choice of Shipshape Inlet as this area is that both could be contaminated, yielding a slightly skewed interpretation of the results. Additionally, the reference site may contain other factors that the actual site lacks, which can skew results. In fact, the reference site could be more contaminated than originally perceived, also changing the results.
3. Can you think of another approach that would work?
Another way to test contamination would be to test the aquatic life in the area, which they do later in the case study. Additionally, one could test the water before and after the industrialization of the river, but that would be impossible to do now that the industrialization has already taken place.
4. What impact do you think the presence of multiple types of hazardous waste will have on the ability of investigators to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between specific chemicals and adverse (negative) biological changes in Tidal Bay? A number of measurements were used to quantify contaminant impact on the ecosystem. These include several bioassay species, benthic community composition, bioaccumulation, and fish histopathology.
The problem with too many types of hazardous wastes and too many aspects of the environment was that there are too many
1. What are the benefits of comparing contaminant concentrations and biological impacts in Tidal Bay sediments with those of a reference area?
Benefits of comparing containment concentrations and biological impacts in Tidal Bay sediments with those of a reference area include seeing to what degree and level of toxicity Tidal Bay is given the reference area. In other words, the reference area provides a basis point for the measurements of Tidal Bay.
2. What are some of the limitations (problems) associated with the use of a reference area and with the choice of Shipshape Inlet as this area?
One limitation associated with the use of a reference area and with the choice of Shipshape Inlet as this area is that both could be contaminated, yielding a slightly skewed interpretation of the results. Additionally, the reference site may contain other factors that the actual site lacks, which can skew results. In fact, the reference site could be more contaminated than originally perceived, also changing the results.
3. Can you think of another approach that would work?
Another way to test contamination would be to test the aquatic life in the area, which they do later in the case study. Additionally, one could test the water before and after the industrialization of the river, but that would be impossible to do now that the industrialization has already taken place.
4. What impact do you think the presence of multiple types of hazardous waste will have on the ability of investigators to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between specific chemicals and adverse (negative) biological changes in Tidal Bay? A number of measurements were used to quantify contaminant impact on the ecosystem. These include several bioassay species, benthic community composition, bioaccumulation, and fish histopathology.
The problem with too many types of hazardous wastes and too many aspects of the environment was that there are too many