Aquatic toxicology databases

Toxicological Databases

Toxicological databases are large compilations of data derived from aquatic and environmental toxicity studies. Data is aggregated from a large number of individual studies in which toxic effects to aquatic and terrestrial organisms was determined from different chemicals. These databases are then used by toxicologists, chemists, regulatory agencies and scientists to investigate and predict the likelihood that an organic or inorganic chemicals will cause an adverse effect (i.e. toxicity) to exposed organisms. In aquatic toxicology multiple databases exist and each generally pertains to a single aspect of aquatic toxicology such as a PCBs, tissue residues or sediment toxicity for example. A multitude of other informational and regulatory databases are maintained by the U.S. EPA [1], USGS [2], Army Corps of Engineers databases [3] and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [4]. Databases pertaining specifically to aquatic toxicology are less prolific and the three major U.S. databases are described here.

These databases are invaluable resources in the field of aquatic toxicology because the likelihood of a chemical to cause toxicity is highly variable across the broad spectrum of contaminants in the environment. This is because the likelihood that adverse effects to an organism will be realized is dependent on the concentration of that substance in the target tissues of the organism, the physicochemical properties of that chemical and the duration of exposure to the organism. Tools that enable the capability to predict the toxicity of specific chemicals to particular organisms or groups of organisms is essential to regulators and researches in the field of toxicology.

Available Databases

Toxicity/Residue Database

The Toxicity/Residue Database [5] is maintained by the U.S. EPA and is a data base for the prediction of toxicity of organic and inorganic chemicals to aquatic organisms. This data base was developed by the EPA Duluth office and became operational in 1999. The data base is derived from more than 500 peer reviewed references and is a collection of their findings on roughly 200 chemicals and 190 species both marine and fresh water. Data regarding organism response endpoints or effects are measured as the concentration of chemical in the tissue of the test organism at the time which effects such as lethality, metabolic depression, increased respiration etc., is reached. More than 3,000 effects (or no effect endpoints) may be queried from a small piece of downloaded software to gather survival, growth or reproductive endpoint effect data.

Environmental Residue Effects Database

The Environmental Residue Effects Database (ERED) is a database maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that pairs data regarding the bioaccumulation of toxicants in tissue (via tissue residue)to endpoint effects such as mortality, growth, or physiological and biochemical responses. Response data also include low effect detected (LOED) and no effect detected (NOED) concentrations. This database is derived from 2329 peer reviewed references regarding 413 chemicals. The data base covers literature from 1964 to the present and compiles more than 15,000 overall records. This database is updated with 300 or more records every year on average. The ERED database is specific to sediment toxicity and the effects of contaminates in dredged materials on fresh water organisms. It is intended to be used to evaluate the potential for contaminate concentrations of dredged sediment to have unacceptable adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Although the ERED database was designed as a tool for the Army Corps of Engineers to manage adverse effects of dredging it is widely applicable to sediment toxicity studies and management.

The ECOTOX Database

ECOTOX is considered to be more comprehensive in that it holds results from toxicity tests of single chemicals on aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Data can be found on both freshwater and marine taxa. ECOTOX collects data from previously EPA established databases AQUIRE, TERRATOX, and PHYTOTOX which individually provide aquatic, terrestrial species and plant data respectively. Data large is collected from peer reviewed literature however some amount of data is sourced from grey literature. Using the Quick Database Query function enables searches by chemical, taxonomic name, effect, and publication year. Data from ECOTOX is used to provide reference parameters to current toxicity studies and severs as a regulatory guideline.