The aim of study was to integrate chemical analyses and toxicity bioassays in order to assess the environmental risk connected with the presence of trace elements in the sediments. This study examined the ecological significance of trace elements in bottom sediments by applying a set of complementary sediment quality assessment methods sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) (mean probable effect concentration quotient (PECQ)), potential ecological risk index (PERI), contamination degree (C d) and two bioassays: the bacterial luminescence inhibition test with Vibrio fischeri on sediment elutriates and the direct contact test with the ostracod crustacean Heterocypris incongruens. The samples were collected from 50 stations of Rybnik reservoir. The reservoir is a region with enormous concentration of industry, mainly hard coal mining, electric power industry, and transportation. Despite the high diversity in metal concentration in the sediments, the spatial distribution of trace elements in the sediments was very similar. Moreover, the strong positive correlations between individual pairs of trace elements indicate that they may derive from a similar source and move together. According to mean PECQs, 68 % of the samples were potentially non-toxic and 32 % of the samples were potentially toxic. PERI values suggested that 70 % of the sediment sampling sites exhibited low ecological risk from metal pollution while 24 % of the samples had severe and serious risk. Based on our combined evaluation, we believe that Cd and Cu in the sediment samples frequently caused adverse biological effects. Higher toxic responses were observed in the Microtox test than in the Ostracodtoxkit test. All the sediment samples were found toxic to V. fischeri, and 96 % of the samples had effect percentages >50 %. For H. incongruens, 12 % of the sediments were not toxic and 44 % had effect percentages >50 %. In order to perform a complex assessment of the environmental impact of metal pollution, both chemical and ecotoxicological analysis should be carried out.
Keywords: Biotest; Bottom sediment; Ecological risk assessment; Spatial distribution; Trace elements.