Table 6.3        Sediment Quality Criteria for the Classification of Sediment

           

Contaminants

Lower Chemical Exceedance Level (LCEL)

Upper Chemical Exceedance Level (UCEL)

Metals (mg kg-1 dry weight)

Cadmium (Cd)

1.5

4

Chromium (Cr)

80

160

Copper (Cu)

65

110

Mercury (Hg)

0.5

1

Nickel (Ni)

40

40

Lead (Pb)

75

110

Silver (Ag)

1

2

Zinc (Zn)

200

270

Metalloid (mg kg-1 dry weight)

Arsenic (As)

12

42

Organic – PAHs (µg kg-1 dry weight)

Lower Molecular Weight PAHs

550

3160

High Molecular Weight PAHs

1700

9600

Organic-non-PAHs (µg kg-1 dry weight)

Total PCBs

23

180

Organometallics (µg TBT L-1 in interstitial water)  

Tributyltin (TBT)

0.15

0.15