Ceriodaphnia Toxicity Testing Quality Assurance

Development of Quality Assurance Recommendations for the ​Ceriodaphnia dubia Toxicity Test

Background and Objectives

On December 1, 2020, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted statewide numeric water quality objectives for both acute and chronic toxicity and a program of implementation to control toxicity, which are collectively known as the Toxicity Provisions. The Provisions are intended to improve protections of aquatic life beneficial uses in inland surface waters, enclosed bays, and estuaries in California, and protect aquatic habitats and life from the effects of known and unknown toxicants. The Provisions specify effluent limitations for the most sensitive toxicity testing species, including the Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Ceriodaphnia dubia (C. Dubia) chronic reproduction toxicity test. 

To ensure that State-accredited testing laboratories are producing the highest-quality data possible for the C. Dubia toxicity test, the State Water Board is collaborating with stakeholders and laboratories on a statewide project to develop a set of quality assurance recommendations intended to minimize within-test variability and improve interlaboratory agreement. The three-year study kicked off in October 2020.

Project Oversight

The Project is being overseen by both a Stakeholder Advisory Committee comprised of regulatory agencies, regulated parties, and non-governmental organizations, as well as an Expert Science Panel comprised of international experts in freshwater toxicity testing.

Stakeholder Advisory Committee members

  • State Water Board – Katie Fong
  • USEPA – Amelia Whitson (EPA Region 9)
  • Regional Water Quality Control Boards – Veronica Cuevas (RWQCB4)
  • Wastewater Agencies /CASA – Mitch Mysliwiec (Larry Walker & Associates)
  • Stormwater Agencies/CASQA – Jian Peng (Orange County Public Works)
  • Agriculture Organizations – Sarah Lopez (Central Coast Water Quality Preservation Inc.)
  • Non-Governmental Agencies – Annelisa Moe (Heal the Bay)
  • Laboratory Accreditation – Steven Boggs (CA ELAP)
  • Private Laboratories – Peter Arth (Enthalpy)
  • Public Laboratories – Josh Westfall (Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts) 

Expert Science Panel members

  • A. John Bailer (Miami University)
  • Howard Bailey (Nautilus Environmental) 
  • Robert Brent (James Madison University) 
  • Teresa Norberg-King (USEPA, retired) 
  • Leana Van der Vliet (Environment Canada) 

Key Events

Deliverables

Contact

For more information about this project, contact Ken Schiff or Alvina Mehinto.