Sediment toxicity of different areas of Spanish littoral was evaluated using an internationally recommended 10 day acute toxicity test with the amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis. Sediment samples from Santander Bay (N Spain), Las Palmas of Gran Canaria (SW Spain), Algeciras Bay (S Spain) and Ría of Huelva (SW Spain) were collected and organic carbon, fines, metals Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co and Hg, PAHs and PCBs were analyzed for their characterization. Significant toxic effects compared with control site (P < 0.05) were observed after exposure to the sediments from Las Palmas of Gran Canaria port, from 83.3% of the sites studied in Algeciras Bay and from Ría of Huelva. These effects were associated (P < 0.05) with PCBs and metals Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu in Ría of Huelva and to Ni and Co in the rest of sites. Chemical measurements were compared with international sediment quality guidelines and site-specific guidelines were derived.
