Toxicity profiling of marine surface sediments: A case study using rapid screening bioassays of exhaustive total extracts, elutriates and passive sampler extracts
In vitro toxicity profiles for organic contaminants were obtained using total sediment and passive sampler extracts. Offshore sediments showed different in vitro profiles than estuarine/coastal sediments. The observed toxicity could only be partially explained by the chemical analysis. Further identification of responsible, biologically-active compounds in sediments is required. In vitro testing with silicone passive sampling is a promising tool to assess the toxicity of marine sediments.