Tissue residue benchmarks were derived from the SETAC special publication "Environmental Contaminants in Wildlife Interpreting Tissue Concentrations" edited by W.N. Beyer, G.H. Heinz, and A.W. Redmon-Norwood. The ECW (Environmental Contaminants in Wildlife) in the benchmark name indicates the value came from this source, which is a series of chapters by individual authors discussing tissue residue – effects data for a variety of contaminants and taxonomic groups. Recommended threshold values for protection of fish or wildlife were included in the biota benchmark table. Because chemicals may have a greater effect on or accumulate to a greater degree in specific tissues within an animal, recommended values are generally tissue-specific, including avian blood, bone (dry weight), brain, carcass, egg, kidney, or liver; fish brain, egg, muscle, or whole body; and mammal blood, fat, kidney, or liver. Site tissue concentrations lower than these threshold values are not expected to cause significant adverse effects.
Beyer, W.N., G.H. Heinz and A.W. Redmon-Norwood (eds.). 1996. Environmental Contaminants in Wildlife - Interpreting Tissue Concentrations, Special Publication of SETAC, CRC Press, Inc. 494 p.