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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?
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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 versus exposure in context of existing data • Quality of existing data and intended use • Temporal aspect of data • Existing data represent dynamic system • Long term versus short term effects
Criteria • Use right animals for tests • Matrix tested and approach • 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 – 6
Top 6 Data Gaps • Uptake (Se) 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? Commitment for investigators to provide data • Don’t just focus on selenium, but know differences in how to assess all coc’s • Group not in a position to say what we don’t need, some examples: tree swallows, mayfly emergence, water levels (political realities)
