Abstract

Environmental pollution sudden of heavy metals has posed serious ecological risks in China. However, local short-term exposure water quality standards (WQSs) are not yet established. In the present study, aquatic ecotoxicity data of Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Zn²⁺ to local species were collected and screened. The suitability of species sensitivity distribution (SSD) methods assumed to be used to derive the WQSs was evaluated by data analysis. Then, the methodology of short-term WQSs was established with the principles of SSD and ecological risk assessment, and the tiered short-term WQSs values of Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Zn²⁺ were derived with the established methodology. Finally, a case analysis was performed with the developed cadmium short-term WQSs and risk grades. The results may provide technical references for response to sudden environmental pollution.

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