U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL P ROTECTION AGENCY , REGION 9, WATER DIVI SION



# Supplemental Information: Selenium in the San Francisco Bay and Delta Comparison of the Proposed Selenium Water Quality Criteria to Dissolved and Part iculate Selenium in Seaward and Landward Transects and the Proposed Selenium Tissue Criteria to Selen ium in Sturgeon and

Clam Tissues

DANIEL R
. OROS and DIANE FLECK

June 8 , 2016

Available data on dissolved and particulate selenium (Se) concentrations in water column samples of seaward and landwar d transects and Se in sturgeon and clam tissues in the San Francisco Bay and Delta were analyzed

. Figures 1

- 4 show the Se concentrations and the percent of water sample analyses that exceeded the proposed dissolved Se criterion of 0.2 μg/L (ppb) and proposed p articulate Se criterion of 1.0 μ g/ g dw (ppm). Figures 5

- 9 show the Se concentrations and the percent of sturgeon muscle tissue analyses that exceeded the proposed fish musc le tissue selenium criterion of 11.3 μg /g dw. Figure 10 summarize s the percent of sturgeon muscle tissue analyses that exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue sel enium criterion from 1989 to 2015. Figure 11 shows the Se concentrations and the percent of clam tissue analyses that exceeded the proposed clam tissue selenium criterion of 15 μg/g dw

. Figure 12 summarizes the percent of clam tissue analyses that exceeded the proposed clam tissue selenium criterion from 1995 to 2012. The sources of the environmental and tissue data are listed in the references section.1

Figure 1. Dissolved Selenium Concentration s by Seawar d Transects. The dashed line represents the proposed dissolved selenium criterion of 0.2 μg/L. For the 2010 to 2012 data there were no exceeda nces of the proposed dissolved selenium criterion, while for the 1998 to 1999 data 5% of the analyses exceeded the proposed dissolved selenium crit erion

. References: Tetra Tech, Inc. (2012); Cutter and Cutter (2004); and Doblin et al . (2006). 0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 Dissolved Se (μg/L)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Dissolved Selenium Concentrations by Seaward Transects
Dissolved Se (μg/L) Tetra Tech Sep 2010 to Apr 2012 Dissolved Se (μg/L) Cutter & Doblin Jun 1998 to Nov 1999

5% > 0.2 μg/L (n = 74)

0% > 0.2 μg/L (n = 71)2

Figure 2. Particulate Selenium Concentrations by Seaward Transects. The dashed line represents the proposed particulate s elenium cr iterion of 1.0 μg/ g dw

. For the 2010 to 2012 data there were no exceedances of the proposed particulate selenium criterion, while for the 1998 to 1999 data 12% of the analyses exceeded the proposed particulate selenium criterion. References: Tetra Tech, Inc. (2012); Cutter and Cutter (2004); and Doblin et al . (2006). 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 Particulate Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Particulate Selenium Concentrations by

Seaward Transects
Particulate Se (μg/g dw) Tetra Tech Sep 2010 to Apr 2012 Particulate Se (μg/g dw) Cutter & Doblin Jun 1998 to Nov 1999

12% > 1.0 μg/g dw (n = 73)

0% > 1.0 μg/g dw (n = 70)3

Figure 3 . Dissolve d Selenium Concentrations by Landward Transects. The dashed line represents the proposed dissolved selenium criterion of 0.2 μg/L. For the 2010 to 2012 data 25% of the analyses exceeded the proposed dissolved selenium criterion, while for the 2003 to 2004 data 23% of the analyses exceeded the proposed dissolved selenium criterion. References: Tetra Tech, Inc. (2012); and Lucas and Stewart (2007). 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 Dissolved Se (μg/L)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Dissolved Selenium Concentrations by Landward Transects
Dissolved Se (μg/L) Tetra Tech Sep 2010 to Apr 2012 Dissolved Se (μg/L) Lucas & Stewart Jan 2003 to Jan 2004

25% > 0.2 μg/L (n = 24) 23% > 0.2 μg/L (n = 47)4

Figure 4. Particulate Selenium Concentrations by La ndward Transects. The dashed line represents the proposed particu late selenium criterion of 1.0 μg/ g dw

. For the 2010 to 2012 data 16% of the analyses exceeded the proposed particulate selenium criterion, while for the 2003 to 2004 data 11% exceeded the proposed particulate selenium criterion. References: Tetra Tech, Inc. (2012); and Lucas and Stewart (20 07). 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 Particulate Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Particulate Selenium Concentrations by Landward Transects
Particulate Se (μg/g dw) Tetra Tech Sep 2010 to Apr 2012 Particulate Se (μg/g dw) Lucas & Stewart Jan 2003 to Jan 2004

16% > 1.0 μg/g dw (n = 24) 11% > 1.0 μg/g dw (n = 47)5

Figure 5 . Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations. The dashed line represents the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion of 11.3 μg/g dw. For the 1989 to 1990 data 55% of the analyses exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion . Reference: CDFG (1991)

. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Muscle Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations:

1989

- 1990
Sturgeon Muscle Se (μg/g dw) CDFG Feb 1989 to Mar 1990

55% > 11.3 μg/g dw (n = 60)6

Figure 6 . Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations. The dashed line represents the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion of 11.3 μg/ g dw. For the 2002 to 2005 data 15 % of the analyse s exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion , while for the 1999 to 2001 data 21 % exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion

. Reference s: Linares

Casenave et al . ( 2015 ); and Steward et al

. ( 2004 )

. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Muscle Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations: 1991

- 2001 and 2002

- 2005
Sturgeon Muscle Se (μg/g dw) Linares-Casenave Oct 2002 to May 2005 Sturgeon Muscle Se (μg/g dw) Stewart 1999 to 2001

15% > 11.3 μg/g dw (n = 47) 21% > 11.3 μg/g dw (n = 34)7

Figure 7 . Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations. The dashed line represents the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion of 11.3 μg/g dw. For the 2009 data 8 % of the analyse s exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion . Reference: SFEI ( 2015 a )

. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Muscle Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations:

2009
Sturgeon Muscle Se (μg/g dw) SFEI RMP Status and Trends 2009

8% > 11.3 μg/g dw (n = 13)8

Figure 8. Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations. The dashed line represents the proposed fish muscle tissue criterion of 11.3 μg/g dw. For the 2014 data 22% of the analyse s exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion . Refer ence: SFEI (2016 )

. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Muscle Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations:

2014
Sturgeon Muscle Se (μg/g dw) SFEI RMP Muscle Plug 2014

22% > 11.3 μg/g dw (n = 9)9

Figure 9. Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations. The dashed line represents the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion of 11.3 μg/g dw. For the 2015 data 38% of the analyse s exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion . Reference: SFEI ( 2015 b )

. 0 5 10 15 20 25 Muscle Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations:

2015 Sturgeon Muscle Se (μg/g dw) SFEI 2015 Derby Report Jan 2015 to Feb 2015

38% > 11.3 μg/g dw (n = 8)10

Figure 10. Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations. The bar chart shows the percent of analyses tha t exceeded the proposed fish muscle tissue selenium criterion of 11.3 μg/g dw from 1989 to 2015.

28 69

0 13 29 33

0 19 38

8 22 38

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 1989 (n=25) 1990 (n=35) 1991 (n=0) 1992 (n=0) 1993 (n=0) 1994 (n=0) 1995 (n=0) 1996 (n=0) 1997 (n=0) 1998 (n=0) 1999 (n=2) 2000 (n=15) 2001 (n=17) 2002 (n=3) 2003 (n=20) 2004 (n=16) 2005 (n=8) 2006 (n=0) 2007 (n=0) 2008 (n=0) 2009 (n=13) 2010 (n=0) 2011 (n=0) 2012 (n=0) 2013 (n=0) 2014 (n=9) 2015 (n=8) Percent (%)

Year (n = number of analyses) 

### Sturgeon Muscle Selenium Concentrations % > 11.3 μg/g dw
% > 11.3 μg/g dw11

Figure 11 . Clam Tissue Selenium Concentrations. The dashed line represents the proposed clam tissue selenium criterion of 15 μg/ g dw. For the 1995 to 2012 data 9.4% of the analyses exceeded the proposed clam tissue selenium criterion. Reference s: Kleck ner et al

. ( 2010 ); and Stewart et al . (2013). 0 5 10 15 20 25 Clam Se (μg/g dw)

Number of Analyses (n) 

### Clam Tissue Selenium Concentrations:

1995

- 2012
Clam Se (μg/g dw) Kleckner May 1995 to Feb 2012

9.4% > 15 μg/g dw (n = 921)12

Figure 12. Clam Tissue Selenium Concentrations. The bar chart shows the percent of analyses that exceeded the proposed clam tissue selenium criterion of 15 μg/g dw from 1995 to 2012.

20 24
15

4 8 9 27

4 5 0 0 0 8 17

2 18

6 23

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 1995 (n=15) 1996 (n=70) 1997 (n=33) 1998 (n=25) 1999 (n=89) 2000 (n=34) 2001 (n=41) 2002 (n=70) 2003 (n=60) 2004 (n=66) 2005 (n=63) 2006 (n=39) 2007 (n=48) 2008 (n=48) 2009 (n=66) 2010 (n=76) 2011 (n=65 2012 (n=13) Percent (%)

Year (n = number of analyses) 

### Clam Tissue Selenium Concentrations % > 15 μg/g dw
%>15 μg/g dw13

References: CDFG. California Department of Fish and Game. 1991. Selenium Verification Study 1988

- 1990. 91

- 2

- WQ May 1991. Water Resources Contr ol Board, State of California. P ages B

- 1

- 39, B

- 1

- 40 and B

- 1

- 43. Cutter, G.A. and Cutter, L.S. 2004. The biogeochem istry of selenium in the San Francisco Bay estuary: changes in water column behavior. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 61: 463

- 476. Doblin, M.A., Baines, S.B., Cutter , L.S., and Cutter , G.A . 2006. Sources and biogeochemical cycling of particulate selenium in the San Francisco Bay estuary. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 67: 681

- 694. Kleckner, A.E., Stewart, A.R., Elrick, K., and Luoma, S.N. 2010. Selenium concentrations and stable isot opic compositions of carbon and nitrogen in the benthic clam Corbula amurensis from Northern San Francisco Bay, California, May 1995 to February 2010. U.S. Geological Survey Open

- File Report 2010

- 1252. 34 p. Linares

- Casenave, J., Linville, R., Van Eenennaa m, J.P., Muguet, J.B., and Doroshov, S.I. 2015. Selenium tissue burden compartmentalization in resident white sturgeon ( Acipenser transmontanus ) of the San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 34: 152

- 160. Lucas, L. and Stewart , A. R

. 2007. Transport, transformation, and effects of selenium and carbon in the delta of the Sacramento

- San Joaquin Rivers: Implications for ecosystem restoration. U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA. Ecosystem Restoration Program Agreement No. 4600001955, Project No. ERP

- 01

- C07. 515 pp. SFEI . San Franc isco Estuary Institute. 2015 a . SFEI RMP 2009 Status and Trends Program database

. See: http://ceden.org/ SFEI. S an Francisco Estuary Institute. 2015b. Draft 2015 Sturgeon Derby Report. Authors: Jennifer Sun, April Robinson, Jay Davis, Phil Trowbridge, Robin Stewart, Vince Palace, and Zachary Jackson

. SFEI . San Francisco Estuary Institute

- Aquatic Science Center, by J Sun, A. Robinson, and J.A. Davis

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. Selenium in White Sturgeon Muscle Plugs: 2014, Contribution #774. Richmond, California. Stewart , A

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- 4526. Stewart A.R., Luoma, S.N., Elrick, K.A., Carter, J.L., and van der Wegen, M. 2013. Influence of estuarine processes on spatiotemporal variation in bioavailable selenium. Marine Ecology Progress Se ries 492: 41

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. Tetra Tech, Inc. 2012. North San Francisco Bay Selenium Characterization Study. Final Report. October 5, 2012.