Application of the Human Reporter Gene System Biomarker for Assessing Sediment Quality in Sabine Lake and Galveston Bay

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has used the Human Reporter Gene System (HRGS) biomarker as one of the means to assess the spatial extent and severity of sediment contamination in coastal waters and estuaries throughout the United States. The biomarker indicates the presence of organic chemicals that bind to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and induce the cytochrome P450 1A1 locus on the vertebrate chromosome. Several of these chemicals are known to cause direct chemical toxicity or genotoxicity, such as planar PCBs, higher molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and furans..... In recent years, the test was used to assess sediment toxicity in Sabine Lake (1995) and Galveston Bay (1996). Using stratified-random sampling scheme, test samples were collected from 66 sites in Sabine Lake and 75 sites in Galveston Bay, encompassing an area of 246 sq. km and 1,351 sq. km, respectively.....These data suggest that source control of industrial and municipal and waste discharges has been effective in improving or maintaining sediment quality in these waterbodies.