Contaminated sediments in Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia.

Comprehensive investigations of estuaries in central New South Wales has identified Port Jackson as the most contaminated waterway on the eastern seaboard of Australia. Extensive areas of the estuary are mantled in sediment, containing high concentrations of a large range of metallic and organic contaminants. Although extensive, this database does not provide an effective basis for determining the potential adverse effects of chemicals on living resources. The Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) sediment quality guidelines have been used in the current study to assess possible adverse biological effects of toxicants.