Ecological Benchmark Tool

Screening ecological benchmarks are used to identify chemical concentrations in environmental media that are at or below thresholds for effects to ecological receptors. The Environmental Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed and compiled a comprehensive set of ecotoxicological screening benchmarks for surface water, sediment, and surface soil applicable to a range of aquatic organisms, soil invertebrates, and terrestrial plants. These benchmarks, or updates are performed in collaboration with The Institute for Environmental Modeling at the University of Tennessee and the Bechtel Jacobs Corp., are provided as a searchable database. Links to supporting technical reports from which the benchmarks were obtained are also provided.

The RAIS maintains links to several EPA Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance documents.

In addition, benchmarks from many other national and international sources have been added to the database. These additions are also presented in the SADA risk assessment software.