PNEC for metals in the marine environment derived from species sensitivity distributions

Abstract

Predicted No Effect Concentrations (PNEC) for the metals cadmium, copper, nickel, mercury, lead and zinc have been calculated using statistical analysis of species sensitivity distributions. From the analysis, the median 5 percentile of the distribution (HC5) was derived and used as a basis for PNEC. Assessment factors were applied to the HC5 in order to take account for uncertainty. The following PNECs for the marine environment were derived: Cadmium: 0.18 µg/l, copper: 0.64 µg/l, mercury: 0.04 µg/l, nickel: 1.53 µg/l lead: 2.49 µg/l, and zinc: 3.07 µg/l.