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Home > Coastal and floodplains > Estuaries > Factsheets > Water Quality

Estuaries in NSW

Estuarine Water Quality

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Effects of Pollutants on Aquatic Biota

Aquatic organisms may take up pollutants from the surrounding water, from their food, or through direct transfer from the surface of sediment particles (Livingston et al, 1992). In determining the biological effects of a substance, it is essential to consider all phases of its occurrence, including the water column, suspended sediments, bottom sediments and sediment pore water.

For any particular substance, different taxonomic and functional groups of organisms show a broad range of variation in the rates of uptake, metabolism and elimination, which results in widely differing sensitivities to the substance. For this reason, suitable biological indicators must be developed to monitor the effects of pollution on aquatic communities and species of particular interest (ANZECC, 1992).

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