Selenium Assessment in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Guide for Hazard Evaluation and Water Quality Criteria (Springer Series on Environmental Management)

Selenium is a naturally occurring trace element that can become concentrated and released by industrial, agricultural, petrochemical and mining activities. At concentrated levels it is toxic and has polluted ecosystems around the world. This book will serve as a comprehensive practical handbook for everyone dealing with selenium in aquatic environments. It offers field-tested approaches and methods for assessment and water quality management. Using his twenty-year experience, the author discusses the effects of selenium on fish and bird populations and presents guidelines for identifying sources of pollution, interpreting selenium concentrations, assessing hazardous conditions, setting water quality criteria and ecosystem loading limits (TMDLs). He also includes a procedure for setting environmentally safe limits that ensure compliance with EPA regulations. **Selenium Assessment in Aquatic Ecosystems** will interest field scientists, natural resource managers, risk assessors and environmental planners. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Selenium Pollution Around the World....Pages 3-17 Interpreting Selenium Concentrations....Pages 18-38 Toxic Effects of Selenium in Fish....Pages 39-58 Front Matter....Pages 59-59 Protocol for Aquatic Hazard Assessment....Pages 61-88 Teratogenic Deformity Index for Fish....Pages 89-100 Front Matter....Pages 101-101 Hydrological Units and Selenium Criteria....Pages 103-113 Developing Site-Specific Water Quality Criteria....Pages 114-133 Setting Ecosystem Loading Limits....Pages 134-142 Front Matter....Pages 143-143 Emerging Selenium Contamination Issues....Pages 145-153 Back Matter....Pages 155-162