Recommendations for improving the reporting and communication of aquatic toxicity studies for oil spill planning, response, and environmental assessment

Abstract

Standardized oil toxicity testing is important to ensure comparability of study results, and to generate information to support oil spill planning, response, and environmental assessments. Outcomes from toxicity tests are useful in the development, improvement and validation of effects models, and new or revised knowledge could be integrated into existing databases and related tools. To foster transparency, facilitate repeatability and maximize use and impact, outcomes from toxicity tests need to be clearly reported and communicated. This work is part of a series of reviews to support the modernization of the "Chemical Response to Oil Spills: Ecological Effects Research Forum" protocols focusing on technological advances and best toxicity testing practices. Thus, the primary motivation of the present work is to provide guidance and encourage detailed documentation of aquatic toxicity studies. Specific recommendations are provided regarding key reporting elements (i.e., experimental design, test substance and properties, test species and response endpoints, media preparation, exposure conditions, chemical characterization, reporting metric corresponding to the response endpoint, data quality standards, and statistical methods, and raw data), which along with a proposed checklist can be used to assess the completeness of reporting elements or to guide study conduct. When preparing journal publications, authors are encouraged to take advantage of the Supplementary Material section to enhance dissemination and access to key data and information that can be used by multiple end-users, including decision-makers, scientific support staff and modelers. Improving reporting, science communication, and access to critical information enable users to assess the reliability and relevance of study outcomes and increase incorporation of results gleaned from toxicity testing into tools and applications that support oil spill response decisions. Furthermore, improved reporting could be beneficial for audiences outside the oil spill response community, including peer reviewers, journal editors, aquatic toxicologists, researchers in other disciplines, and the public.

Keywords: Aquatic toxicity test reporting elements; Effects models; Environmental assessments; Oil spill response and planning; Relevance and reliability; Science communication.